biography
| name: |
Gossec, François Joseph
|
pronunciation:
[gosek]
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1734–1829)
|
| biography:
| Composer, born in Hainaut, W Belgium. He played a prominent role in musical life and was already composing before arriving in Paris in 1751. Recommended by Rameau to La Pouplinière, he composed chamber music and some symphonies, including Messe des Morts (1760), and his oratorio La Nativité announced L'Enfance du Christ by Berlioz. On the death of La Pouplinière, he went into service with the Condé family. He founded the Concert des Amateurs (1769) and was first conductor of l'Ecole Royale de Chant (1784). At first enthusiastic for the Revolution he created a ‘musique civique’, composed hymns/anthems, and an orchestration of ‘La Marseillaise’ for the great festivals which earned him the title of ‘Tyrtée de la Revolution’. Under the Empire he concentrated more on teaching. |
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