Jean-Marie Leclair

Jean -Marie Leclair l' aîné ( the Elder) ( born May 10, 1697 in Lyon, † October 22, 1764 in Paris) was a French composer and one of the most famous violinists of his time.

Life

In his youth Leclair learned the trade of his father, Antoine, basket weaving. The father must have been a good bass viol player who inspired his numerous children to make music, because several of his children were musicians. To mention is the younger brother of Jean -Marie Leclair le cadet ( see below).

Jean -Marie l' aîné learned to dance and play the violin. His professional career began as a dancer and ballet master in Lyon. There he married in 1716, at the age of 19 years, Marie-Rose Casthanie, also a dancer at the Opéra de Lyon. From 1722 he worked as ballet master at the Turin Opera. It did not keep him long in Turin; in October of the following year he lived in Paris and published his Opus 1, which he dedicated to the banker Bonnier. During this time he received by his friend André Cheron assistance in composition. 1726 Leclair was back in Turin, now he met Johann Joachim Quantz and the famous violinist and Corelli pupil Giovanni Battista Somis, where he perfected his violin playing.

Standing Still in Somis influence Leclair published in 1728 his Sonatas Opus 2, which he dedicated to the son and successor of his now deceased first patron, Joseph Bonnier de la Mosson. He lived from 1728 in his palace in the Rue St. Dominique and was working as a violin teacher after. During this time his first wife, who was much older than Leclair must be deceased. During Holy Week 1728, he had his first concert at the prestigious Concert Spirituel in the great hall of the Tuileries Palace; to be able to perform there, a highest musical recognition came right.

He completed his second marriage in 1730 with the young Notenstecherin Louise - Catherine Roussel; with her Leclair had a daughter who also learned the engraver craft. Louise had already stung his works Opus 2, 3 and 4 and stabbed later all other compositions. From 1733 to 1737 he was " Ordinaire de la musique du roi " at the court of Louis XV. , Which he thanks for his Op. 2 dedicated. He also gave to 1737 numerous public concerts at the Concerts Spirituels. In the dispute over an originally agreed monthly change in the post of first violinist in the royal chapel with Jean -Pierre Guignon (1702-1774), also a pupil of Somis, he angrily left the royal orchestra.

From 1738 to 1743 he lived in the Netherlands, where he worked with Pietro Locatelli, who influenced him greatly, worked in The Hague. He was concertmaster of the Orchestra of the wealthy merchant François de Liz. During this time he spent three months a year at the court of Anna of Orange in Leeuwarden, a pupil of Handel; her he dedicated his Opus 9 After the bankruptcy of de Liz in 1743 he returned to Paris. From 1744 onwards, a two-year stay in Chambery followed in the service of the Spanish heir, Don Philippe.

1748 he was musical director and first violinist at the private theater of the Duke de Gramont Antoine VII ( 1722-1801 ), in close proximity to the French capital. In these last years, Leclair was an obscure man. His wife left him, and he lived in a flophouse in the Rue de Careme - Prenant, one of the unsafe areas of Paris.

In the early morning of October 23, 1764 he was found mortally wounded in his hall, in a pool of blood and from three stab wounds. The case remained unsolved, was Suspects according to police records be collected and cheaper nephew Guillaume- François Vial, the son of his sister Françoise. The funeral took place on 25 October. On the occasion of his first death anniversary was held on December 2, 1765 a memorial service in the Église des Feuillants in the Rue St. Honoré place; Choir and Orchestra of the Concerts Spirituels led to the De Profundis of Mondo de Ville.

Only after his death, published his wife Louise - Catherine of financial difficulties the works of Opus 14 and 15, the composer and music theorist Charles -Henri de Blainville ( 1711-1771 ) designated Leclair as the French Corelli. One of his pupils was Joseph Boulogne Chevalier de Saint- George.

Style

As a virtuoso and one of the founders of the French violin school he influenced them significantly. He brought about the fusion of French and Italian styles. Its elegant and brilliant style and knowledge of counterpoint Applied put his concertos and sonatas in the vicinity of the works of Antonio Vivaldi.

Works

• Opus 1: Premier livre de sonates (1723 ) [ sound modes: a, C, B, D, G, E, F, G, A, D, B, h]
• Opus 2: Deuxième livre de sonates (1728) [ sound modes: E, F, C, A, G, D, B, D, E, e, h, g]
• Opus 3: Sonatas à deux sans basse violons ( 1730) [ keys: G, A, C, F, E, D ​​]
• Opus 4: 6 Sonatas en trio pour deux violons et B. c. (1731-1732) [ keys: d, B, d, F, g, A]
• Opus 5: Troisième Livre de Sonatas (1734 ) [ sound modes: A, F, E, B, h, c, a, D, E, C, g, G]
• Opus 6: Première Récréation de musique d'une exécution composée facile pour vivre ou deux flûtes violons ( 1736) (lightweight executable Suite for 2 violins or flutes) [ Key: G ]
• Opus 7: 6 concertos a tre violini, alto e basso, per organo e violoncello (1737) [ sound modes: d, D, C, F, a, A ]
• Opus 8: Deuxième Récréation de musique d'une exécution composée facile pour vivre ou deux flûtes violons (1737) [ Key: G ]
• Opus 9: Quatrième Livre de Sonatas ( 1743) [ sound modes: A, E, D, A, A, D, G, C, Eb, F #, g, G]
• Opus 10: 6 concertos a tre violini, alto e basso, per organo e violoncello ( 1745) [ sound modes: B, A, D, F, e, g]
• Opus 12: Second livre de sonates deux sans basse violons ( 1747-1749 ) [ keys: h, E, D, A, g, B]
• Opus 13: 3 ouvertures et 3 sonates en trio pour 2 violons (1753 ) [ sound modes: G, D, D, h, A, g]
• Opus 14 ( posthumously ): Trio for 2 violins and basso continuo (1766) [ Key: A]
• Opus 15 ( posthumously ): Sonata for Violin and B. c. ( 1767) [ Key: F ]
• The opera Scylla et Glaucus, Op 11 (first performed in 1746 in Paris)