Chapelle, of Louis XIV; played the bassoon, cromorne (his two best instruments), oboe, marine trumpet, and even the drum when required; and after competing, at the king's request, with Lully in writing bugle-calls, fanfares, and military marches,[1] composed divertissements for the court. Of these were produced, in presence of the king or the dauphin, a comic divertissement, 'Le Canal de Versailles' (July 16, 1687), 'Le Mariage de la Couture avec la grosse Cathos' (1688), and 'La Princesse de Crète,' an opéra-ballet, the autograph of which was in his valuable collection of unpublished music. To these three works should be added 'La Mascarade du Vaisseau Marchand,' produced at Marly before Louis XIV, Thursday, Feb. 18, 1700, and hitherto unnoticed. The splendid collection referred to included all the dance-tunes in favour at court from the reign of Henry III to the end of the 17th century; all the divertissements and operas of Lully and a few other composers; a selection of old airs, bugle-calls, military marches, and fanfares for the court hunting-parties; and finally all the sacred music in use in the Chapelle. André formed it during the time he was Librarian[2] of the King's musical library, from 1684 to his death. It was originally in the library of Versailles, and the greater part of it, 57 vols., in his own hand, was transferred to the library of the Paris Conservatoire, which now however possesses only 36, the other 21 having either been purloined by some unscrupulous collector of rare MSS, or perhaps used for lighting fires. A few other portions are in the Bibliothèque Nationale, and the Bibliothèque de Versailles.
This remarkable man, with an excellent judgment and an even, cheerful temper, possessed an iron constitution. About 1719 he married Elisabeth Le Roy, a young girl of 19, by whom he had five children, the third being François André, the celebrated composer. He retired on a pension in 1722, and died Aug. 11, 1730, at Dreux, whither he had removed from Versailles, probably about the time of his marriage. His brother,
5. Jacques, known as Philidor le Cadet, born in Paris May 5, 1657, entered the Grande Ecurie when a little over 12 as fifer, and was afterwards promoted to the oboe, cromorne, and marine trumpet. In 1683 he was admitted to the Chapelle, and in 1690 to the Musique de la Chambre, in which he played the bassoon. He was a favourite with Louis XIV, who gave him some land at Versailles, where he built a house and died, May 27, 1708. He was an amiable man, and led a quiet, happy life, on the best of terms with his brother, in whose collection his compositions were preserved—marches for drums and kettle-drums, airs for oboe, and dance-music. The military music is still in the library at Versailles, but the rest has disappeared. Jacques had by his wife, Elisabeth Hanique, 12 children, of whom four sons, Pierre, Jacques, François, and Nicolas, became musicians. Thus the two brothers André and Jacques, Philidor l'ainé and Philidor le cadet, left a numerous progeny. We now revert to the four sons of André: the eldest,
6. Anne, born in Paris April 11, 1681, before he was 20 produced at court, through the patronage of his godfather, Duke Anne de Noailles, three pastorales, 'L'Amour vainqueur' (1697), 'Diane et Endymion' (1698), and another (Marly, 1701), name unknown, included in one of the lost vols. of the Collection Philidor. In 1702 he obtained the survival of his father's posts in the Grand Ecurie and the Chambre, and in 1704 became oboist in the Chapelle, often playing before Louis XIV, who had a predilection for the instrument. He also [3]composed; but his real title to a place in the history of music is that he was the founder of the 'Concerts Spirituels,' though he conducted them for two years only (1725–27). The time and manner of his death are uncertain. Laborde says that, after having directed the concerts of the Duchesse du Maine, he became Surintendant de la Musique to the Prince de Conti; but I have not been able to verify these assertions; and, as every one knows, the regular musician of the celebrated 'nuits de Sceaux' was Joseph Mouret (born at Avignon, 1682, died insane at Charenton, 1738), called 'le musicien des grâces,' from the freshness of his melodies and fertility of his ideas.
7. Michel, the second son, and third Philidor of the name, born at Versailles in 1683, a godson of Michel de Lalande, played the drums in the king's band. All that need be said of him is that Fétis's account is incorrect in every particular.
8. François, born at Versailles in 1689, entered the Chapelle in 1708 as player on the bass cromorne and marine trumpet. In 1716 he became oboist in the Chambre, and bass violinist in the Grande Ecurie. He seems to have died either in 1717 or the beginning of 1718, leaving some small compositions—amongst others, two books of 'Pièces pour la flute traversiere' (Ballard, 1716 and 1718). The youngest of the brothers was
PHILIDOR, François André Danican, the great composer and chess-player, born at Dreux Sept. 7, 1726. As a child he showed an extraordinary faculty for chess, which he saw played by the musicians of the Chapelle du Roi. Being a page of the Chapelle he had a right to music-lessons, and learned the fundamental rules of harmony from André Campra (born at Aix, Dec. 4, 1660, died at Versailles, July 29, 1744), composer of numerous operas, and the most original of the French musicians between Lully and Rameau.[4] At the close of his time as page he came to Paris, and supported himself by giving lessons and copying music. Discouraged perhaps by the difficulties of an artist's career, he gave
- ↑ Ch. Ballard published in 1685 a first book of 'Pièces de trompettes et tlmballes à 2, 3, et 4 parties.' This curious collection is not mentioned in any of the biographies, although the catalogue in Thuinan's study on the Philidors contains the 'Suite de Danses' (1699) and the 'Pièces a deux basses de viole, basse de violon et basson' (1700).
- ↑ He was at first assistant to François Fossard, a violinist, whom he soon replaced altogether.
- ↑ Among his printed works may be specified 'Premier livre de pièces pour la flûte traversière, flûte à bec, violons et hautbois' (Paris 1712), oblong 4to. There is also a MS. Te Deum for 4 voices in the Conservatoire.
- ↑ For Campra, see the Appendix to this Dictionary.
