Jean-Baptiste Lully was born in Florence, Italy in 1632 and showed an early talent for music, learning guitar and violin from Franciscan friars. He moved to Paris in 1646 and gained the patronage of Louis XIV, becoming his composer and director of instrumental music. Lully established opera as a new French art form, combining drama, music, and ballet. He gained a monopoly over French opera and established strict rules for productions and the orchestra. Lully's innovations helped establish the modern orchestra and set the standard practices for conducting.

2. EARLY LIFE
• Born in Florence, Italy, November 29,
1632
• Originally named Giovanni Battista
• Learned guitar and violin
• Likely from Franciscan friars
• Left for Paris, France in 1646 at the age
of 14

3. PARIS
• Appointed “garçon de chambre” to Anne-Marie-Louise d'Orléans
• Cousin of Louis XIV
• Known as the ‘Grande Mademoiselle’
• Completed his musical education while in this post
• Studied harpsichord, composition, and dance
• Dance
• Jean Regnault
• Lully’s instructor
• Became acquainted with dancers of the royal ballet
• Collaborated with Du Moustier in composing the music for Mascarade de la
Foire Saint-Germain
• Only the libretto survives

4. LOUIS XIV
• Lully entered Louis XIV’s service in 1651
• Jean Regnault became mâitre à danser du roi
• Dancing master of the King
• Ballet royal de la nuit
• Lully was 20 years old
• March 16, 1653
• Appointed to post of compositeur de la musique instrumentale
• Composer of instrumental music
• Lully’s talent for dance attracted Louis’ attention
• Lully was several years Louis’ senior
• Quickly gained a privileged relationship with Louis

5. THE 1660’S
• May 16, 1661
• Louis XIV begins personal reign of France
• Lully appointed surintendant de la musique de la chambre du roi
• Superintendent of the music of the king’s chamber
• December 1661
• Became naturalized citizen of France
• July 24, 1662
• Married Madeleine, daughter of composer Michel Lambert
• From the time of his appointment under King Louis XIV, Lully’s
reputation as a composer spread throughout Europe

6. OPERA
• Initially, Lully was not optimistic about the chances of French
opera
• The success of several operas in 1671 changed Lully’s opinion
• Used leverage with Louis XIV
• Became director of the Académie Royale de Musique
• April 28, 1673, was authorized to use the Palais Royal theatre for
free
• Lully prohibited the use of more than two voices and six violins;
rivals were not permitted to use dancers at all
• Louis XIV decided to have Lully’s works produced at court and
financed by the royal treasury

7. INNOVATIONS IN OPERA…
• Created a new French form of opera
• Tragédie en musique/tragédie lyrique
• Combination of drama, music, and ballet
• Each opera began with an ouverture (overture)
• Intended to mark the entry of the king and welcome him to the performance
• Comprised of two sections, each played twice
• The first is homophonic and majestic, the second is faster and occasionally employs
fugal imitation
• Divertissement
• Appeared at the center or end of each act
• Extended episodes that included choruses, dancing, and elaborate costumes and
choreography
• Direct continuation from French ballet tradition
• Adapted Italian recitative to French language
• Airs
• Lyrical moments
• Songs with rhyming text and regular meter
• Syllabic, tuneful melody, little text repetition

8. …AND ORCHESTRA
• Dictator-like control over orchestra
• Conducted with staff instead of baton
• Enforced uniform bowing and coordinated
ornaments
• Became the typical practice of modern orchestras

9. REFERENCES
Burkholder, J. P., Grout, D. J., & Palisca, C. V. (2010). France, England,
Spain, and the new world in the seventeenth century. A history of
western music (8th Edition ed., pp. 359-365). New York: W. W. Norton &
Company.
Jean-Baptiste Lully. (n.d.). Oxford Music Online. Retrieved October 18, 2011,
from
http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/4247
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