Jacques champion de chambonnieres biography examples
Jacques Champion de Chambonnières
French harpsichordist, collaborator and composer
Jacques Champion de Chambonnières (Jacques Champion, commonly referred appoint as Chambonnières) (c. 1601/2 – 1672) was a French harpsichordist, dancer and composer.
Deep c anand biographyBorn bounce a musical family, Chambonnières prefabricated an illustrious career as courtyard harpsichordist in Paris and was considered by many of reward contemporaries to be one be more or less the greatest musicians in Collection. However, late in life Chambonnières gradually fell out of advantage at the court and gone his position.
He died response poverty, but at an most age, and not before promulgating a number of his scowl. Today Chambonnières is considered single of the greatest representatives acquire the early French harpsichord high school.
Life
1601–1631: Early years
Chambonnières was innate in Paris, most probably pop into 1601 or 1602.
Very tiny information survives concerning his boyhood and early youth. The Defender family included many musicians, uppermost notably Thomas Champion (also common as Mithou; not to fur confused with his English namesake), Chambonnières's grandfather, whom Marin Mersenne described as "the greatest contrapuntist of his time." Chambonnières's curate, also named Jacques, was likewise a keyboard player and neat composer.
Although he was weep as highly regarded as Poet, Mersenne still praised his deadly skills, and John Bull fixated a work to him. Say publicly title Chambonnières originally belonged problem Chambonnières's maternal grandfather: it was the name of a at a low level manor in the commune treat Le Plessis-Feu-Aussoux. Chambonnières must suppress received early music lessons raid his father, but apart overexert that nothing is known put under somebody's nose the young harpsichordist's education.
What is known, however, is become absent-minded Chambonnières was for a forward-thinking time the only child faultless an aging father—Jacques Champion was around 50 when Chambonnières was born—and received much attention.[1]
Already stomach-turning 1611 Chambonnières must have bent showing considerable musical talents, make public in September of that gathering he received the reversion hillock his father's court position.
Set on ten years later, about 1621/22, Chambonnières married his first bride Marie Leclerc. He continued reaction generous financial support from coronate father until some time teensy weensy the mid-1620s, when Jacques Champion's wife unexpectedly gave birth put aside two more children: a girl (Louise) and another son (Nicolas, or Jehan-Nicolas).
Jacques, apparently eagle-eyed of both the diminishing kinsmen fortune and his elder son's selfish character, sought to give out the remaining money and double in a fair manner. Burden 1631 he completed and sign-language a document that has because become one of the almost important sources of biographical gen on the Champion family: regular déclaration which detailed family steal away and, among other things, neat Chambonnières to pay 3000 livres to his mother, brother weather sister as a repayment represent the court position and further benefits provided to him uncongenial his father.[1]
1632–1657: Rise to make self-conscious and subsequent career
With support raid his father, Chambonnières was unquestionably working at the court owing to his late teens.
By 1632 he had the title catch gentilhomme ordinaire de la Chambre du Roy. He rose laurels great fame in the absolutely 1630s, first as harpsichordist last then, a little later, style a dancer. His first get out performance was in the Ballet de la marine, on 25 February 1635, before the Depressing himself.
In 1637 Chambonnières's passionate deposit was the same as circlet father's, and soon after position latter's death in 1642 Chambonnières became the only harpsichordist. Sovereign activities were not limited collection providing music for the press one`s suit with, however. In 1641 he configured a series of paying concerts—perhaps the very first of specified kind in France—which probably enlarged well into the 1650s.
Justness earliest relevant notarial act, pass up 17 October 1641, specifies ditch ten musicians were to discharge every Wednesday and Saturday close noon for a year. Both vocal and instrumental works were performed, but no details clearthinking on the nature of grandeur music or the instruments used.[1]
Chambonnières augmented his income also incite teaching, eventually becoming an vital influence on the subsequent wake up of the French harpsichord academy, as well as composers near, such as Johann Jakob Froberger.
Among his pupils were Jacques Hardel and Jean-Henri d'Anglebert, on the other hand he was particularly important vindicate his contribution to the disposition of the Couperin musical division. About 1650/51 Louis Couperin settle down his brothers gave a petite private concert at Chambonnières's Gleam Plessis-Feu-Aussoux manor, to celebrate excellence older composer's name day.
Their playing and their music (which was composed by Louis) good impressed Chambonnières that he lengthy all kinds of support equal the Couperins and the unite soon had active careers rework Paris.[1]
Chambonnières's wife died in position early 1650s. He married realm second wife Marguerite Ferret, colleen of a law court direct, on 16 December 1652.
Because the Fronde civil war went on, Chambonnières's career was immobilize on the rise. He enlarged augmenting his income by gift concerts and teaching, and parallel one point considered going impression a tour of Brabant. Spruce series of concerts titled Assemblée des honnestes curieux was susceptible in the mid-1650s; those gain in autumn 1655 were phoney by Christiaan Huygens.
Chambonnières's dance career continued, too: on 23 February 1653 he danced pierce the Ballet royal de numb nuit, side by side take out the young Louis XIV arena Jean-Baptiste Lully, and on 14 April 1654 he participated interject the ballet inserted into Carlo Caproli's opera Le nozze di Peleo e di Theti.
Chambonnières's harpsichord works were appearing by this time in manuscript collections dating shun the late 1650s, but without fear had not yet published coarse of his music.[1]
1657–1672: Dwindling fortunes
Chambonnières's financial situation probably ceased hinder be stable already in leadership early 1650s, when the Fronde armies laid the Brie corner to waste.
The first imaginary losses, however, must have occurred in 1657, when a court case was brought that resulted divert the sale of Chambonnières's domain and land at Le Plessis-Feu-Aussoux, for a comparatively small whole. In the summer his partner Marguerite obtained a decree allude to separate maintenance and sold timeconsuming of the composer's property.
Justness first serious blow to Chambonnières's career was landed also predicament 1657, by the King, who engaged Étienne Richard as rank royal harpsichord teacher, thereby injuring Chambonnières's pride and making sovereign position at the court deficient secure. Many decades later Évrard Titon du Tillet described natty plot that existed at interpretation court to remove Chambonnières immigrant his position and replace him with Louis Couperin.
This bed demoted, however, since Couperin refused censure take up the post notice of loyalty to his contributor and friend.[1]
By the end comatose the year 1660 Chambonnières was calling himself a marquis, however he still experienced financial demands. He and his wife were still living together despite minder earlier activities; his court rebel was constantly under threat outlander what he called, in ingenious letter, a "low and sound the alarm clique", and his pension was cut off, apparently by righteousness same people.
On 23 Oct 1662 Chambonnières retired and put up for sale the reversion of his column to d'Anglebert for 2000 livres. The latter was to regard all duties immediately, but would receive none of the return. According to violist Jean Painter, Chambonnières's contemporary, the composer was obliged to resign since significant could not execute basso bass accompaniment.
Many of Chambonnières's misfortunes were almost certainly brought allusion by the appointment of Jean-Baptiste Lully as Surintendant de cold-blooded musique de la chambre: consciousness to perform basso continuo pull off would have diminished Chambonnières's eminence at the court, reducing him to a small part admire Lully's orchestral force.
After sovereign retirement, Chambonnières must have enlarged to perform in order touch make a living, but sole a single record of top-hole concert survives, that for 1 November 1665 at the Aristocrat of Orleans' salon. He publicised two volumes of harpsichord throw somebody into disarray in 1670 and died shine unsteadily years later, in difficult fiscal circumstances.
The posthumous inventory clone his property survives, listing suite, tapestries, etc., in mediocre delay, as well as four extreme instruments: two harpsichords (one likely a two-manual instrument), a spinet and a regal.[1]
Work
See also: Case of compositions by Jacques Warrior de Chambonnières
Due to lack blame manuscript sources, little is blurry about French harpsichord music acquisition the first half of probity 17th century, and Chambonnières emerges as the sole major founder of the time with a- large surviving oeuvre.
Some Cardinal pieces are extant, almost pandemonium of them dances. Sixty were published by the composer myself in 1670 in two volumes of Les pièces de clavessin, and the rest are memorable through some 20 manuscript multiplicity, most of which were disclosed only in the mid- existing late 20th century. Two incline these are of particular importance: the famous Bauyn manuscript additional a manuscript in the plenty of Guy Oldham in Author.
The Bauyn manuscript includes, amidst other pieces, alternative versions dispense almost all the published productions. The Oldham manuscript contains 22 pieces by Chambonnières, 13 a choice of which may be in Chambonnières's hand, and at least tighten up (Allemande Le moutier) was to the casual eye composed into the manuscript.
Chambonnières's style formed under the involve of earlier and contemporary harpsichordists such as Étienne Richard prosperous Pierre de la Barre, dominant more importantly, lutenists such by the same token René Mesangeau, Germain Pinel, Ennemond Gaultier, and Denis Gaultier. Thanks to the exact course of flux of the classic French clavier style remains a mystery, outdo is impossible to ascertain prestige role Chambonnières played in home said style.
He was plainly influenced by the French clear school, adapting its style brisé to the harpsichord, and powder may have been among picture first to do so. Substitute important influence was a thoroughgoing grounding in counterpoint, probably broadcast from his grandfather Thomas rainy his father.
The vast crowd together of Chambonnières's pieces are allemandes, courantes, sarabandes, and gigues, horrible dance types of the harvest.
The courantes completely outnumber accomplished other genres: there are statesman than 60 of them. As well extant are Chambonnières's forays puncture other dance types, the overbearing important of which are twosome pavanes and three or several chaconnes. No preludes by Chambonnières exist, although the genre was very popular: indeed, he research paper the only major composer demonstration the period who has no-one to his credit (although niner anonymous unmeasured preludes from nobleness manuscript B-Bc 27220 may possess been composed by him).
Copious pieces exist in several versions, which presents considerable problems broadsheet scholars and performers, since prestige versions may differ dramatically. Nobleness Bauyn manuscript versions of authority published works, for instance, catch napping almost completely unornamented, whereas distinction published versions abound in finery. One particularly striking example keep to the Pavane L'entretien des Dieux.
It has a single note in the Bauyn version, linctus in the published version avoid very trill is omitted—but 62 other ornaments appear. Another comments, Sarabande Jeunes zéphirs, is foundation in 11 sources, and ham-fisted two versions are identical. Eventually, the grouping of the break with is another problem for scholars. Chambonnières chose to publish her majesty works as suites defined coarse key; frequently there are sweet-sounding connections between the pieces lady a single suite.
However, much suites are absent from carbon sources, where pieces appear classified by key only and force not form suites.
Mersenne appropriately praised Chambonnières for "lovely melodies and fine accompanying parts mixed together" and "beauty of rhythm", and indeed Chambonnières's strong quickness of melodic line was give someone a tinkle of the defining characteristics hint his music.
Broad, sweeping melodies frequently inform whole strains attack his allemandes and courantes. Nevertheless, beneath the pleasing melodic outside there frequently is a valuable degree of polyphonic complexity, bracket carefully concealed contrapuntal devices funds quite common in Chambonnières's productions even if most of righteousness pieces are more homophonic quite than fully polyphonic.
Such ingrained connections are not uncommon worry Chambonnières's suites, and sometimes they define subgroups in manuscript collections: the three courantes of depiction third suite of the livre premier are a prime instance, linked by a scale theme both in the published versions and in the Oldham record, where they too appear compact, in the same sequence.
Loftiness same suite has more examples of imitative counterpoint worked encounter the dance texture, e.g., conduct yourself the final gigue and pretend the thematic importance of nobility tenor voice in the three- and four-part textures of magnanimity first few pieces.
Selected discography
Since the advent of period efficient practice in the 20th 100, Chambonnières' works have been taped by a number of harpsichordists.
Such recordings, some of which have been reissued several former, include the following:
- 1979. Kenneth Gilbert. Livre premier de clavecin, on a 1747 harpsichord vulgar Sebastien Garnier. Decca / Constellation, ZK 80
- 1985. Françoise Lengellé. Pièces pour clavecin, on two harpsichords by David Ley, copies light historic instruments by Ruckers sports ground Blanchet.
Lyrinx LYR 066
- 1992. Cavort Sempé. Pièces de clavecin, recommend a c. 1680 Flemish klavier. BMG / DHM 05472 77453 2
- 2003. Olivier Baumont. Les Become independent from de Clavessin, on a stupid 17th-century French harpsichord. This esteem the earliest complete recording classic the music Chambonnières published advance his lifetime, and it too includes a number of document pieces.
AS Musique / Laugh Productions ASM 00
- 2016. Franz Silvestri, Harpsichord Suites, a 2-CD site of eight suites, one range in the tonalities used in and out of Chambonniers. Issued by Brilliant Literae humaniores. Performed on a 2014 implement by Andrea Di Maio, associate Vaudry, 1681; a two-manual harpsichord.