Aulica Coll. No 8 - La Musique à la cour de Louis XV
Work published with the support of the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles.
Benoît Dratwicki, La Musique à la cour de Louis XV. François Colin de Blamont (1690-1760) : une carrière au service du roi, joint publication Centre de recherche du château de Versailles / Presses universitaires de Rennes (“Histoire” collection, “Aulica. L’Univers de la cour” series), January 2016, 17 × 24 cm, 440 pages, 39 black & white illustrations, 16 colour plates, index, €22 (ISBN: 978-2-7535-4313-3).
Abstract
In the age of Louis XV, musical life at the French court regained the splendour it had during the Grand Siècle: in Paris, in Versailles, but also in Fontainebleau and Choisy, music accompanied the sovereign and his court in daily life as well as highlighting great political, military and dynastic events. An army of singers and musicians was brought together under the authority of a few charismatic figures, one of the most important of whom was François Colin de Blamont, Superintendent of Chamber Music. He was born and died at Versailles, trained and then summoned to Court where he enjoyed an exemplary career, and where he devoted himself to keeping alive the great French musical tradition inherited from the reign of Louis XIV. This study examines the still little known musical life at Court in the 18th century, from a musicological but also historical, social and political point of view. The life, career and works of Colin de Blamont form the basis of this in-depth study, a genuine musical chronicle of the reign of Louis XV.
After graduating in studies of the cello and bassoon, chamber music and music training, Benoît Dratwicki turned to the history of music, analysis, aesthetics and orchestration. He is artistic director of the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles where he has worked since 2001. From 2006 to 2009, he took part in the creation of Palazzetto Bru Zane in Venice, where he is currently artistic advisor. With a PhD in musicology, he is a specialist in the King’s Music at Versailles, in French opera and its performers of the 18th century, and in the developments in styles and genres of the period.
Book reviews
Presentation of the book, its author, and interview during the prize of France Musique des Muses 2017 published on March 07, 2017 (in french).
Philippe Hourcade’ review published in the Dix-huitième siècle, 2017/1 (no. 49), p. 811-812 (paid access to the article online - in french).
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