Henri Desmarets

Henry Desmarest (also Desmarets; * February 1661 in Paris, † September 7, 1741 in Luneville, Lorraine) was a French composer.

Life

Desmarest looked after his education in his native town, put his focus but on church music, he stood as an opera composer hopelessly in the shadow of Jean -Baptiste Lully, who was then no rival brooked beside him.

In 1698 he obtained a position as musical director at the Jesuit college, but it had to leave the town fled in the year. As a " kidnapping " with a noble disciple one blamed him, into which he had fallen in love, he was sentenced to death in absentia.

That's why he initially fled to Brussels where he had other contacts with numerous Italian musicians living there. He led from 1701 to 1707, the chamber music of the Spanish king.

Finally, in 1707 he received the post of Hofmusikdirektors the art-loving Duke Leopold of Lorraine, later with its successor Stanislaus I. Leszczynski in Luneville and Nancy, a post he held until his death in 1741. Lorraine belonged not to France but to the Holy Roman Empire, so Desmarets could not travel to neighboring cities such as Metz, Toul, or out of fear of persecution.

Works

He made church music, in addition to a fair 18 motets for double ( Grands Motets ) and other works, like the " Motets Lorrain ', - but also a large number of secular works, including six operas. His best-known stage work is the " tragédie lyrique " Venus & Adonis. In addition, four cantatas and two opera ballets. Some of his works have been performed outside his direct sphere of influence, so in 1713, 1714 and 1716 his opera " Venus et Adonis" was also at the court of Baden -Durlach, and " Iphigénie en Tauride " in the years 1716 and 1731. "Venus and Adonis" in Brussels ( 1726) and even in Hamburg ( 1725) listed.