 |
Michel CorretteFrench composer and organist.
Date of Birth: 10.04.1707
Country:  France |
Content:
- Michel Corrette: French Composer and Organist
- Organist to the French Nobility
- Musical Legacy
- Influence and Innovations
- Music Education
Michel Corrette: French Composer and Organist
Early Life and CareerMichel Corrette, the son of composer Gaspard Corrette, was born in either Rouen or Saint-Germain-en-Laye. In 1725, he was appointed organist at the Rouen Cathedral, but soon relocated to Paris. In 1733, he married Marie-Catherine Maurice.
Organist to the French Nobility
From 1737, Corrette served as organist to the Grand Prior of France. In 1750, he became organist at the Jesuit College in Paris. The same year, he was knighted into the Order of Christ.
As court organist, Corrette served Prince Conti from 1760 and Duke of Angoulême from 1780. Simultaneously, he also gave private music lessons.
Musical Legacy
CompositionCorrette's first sonatas were published in 1727. He left behind a vast musical legacy, including both sacred and secular works. Among his compositions are ballets, divertissements, and concertos for organ and orchestra.
Influence and Innovations
Corrette incorporated popular melodies and borrowed from contemporary masters. Notably, he transformed Vivaldi's "Spring" into the sacred hymn "Laudate Dominum de coelis" in 1765. Towards the end of his life, he wrote a symphony based on the revolutionary song "Ça Ira."
Music Education
Theory and PedagogyCorrette also composed several instrumental instruction manuals. These include "Les Délices de la solitude," an early textbook on cello playing, and "L'École d'Orphée" ("The Orpheus School"), a violin instruction manual. These works not only provide didactic material but also include anecdotes and insights into the daily lives of musicians of his time.
