Leclair’s father was a lace making master and a cellist. All of his 3 brothers are from musicians. He studied not only music but also dancing and lace making when he was young. And he was excelling in all of these three areas.
He began his career as a dancer at the Lyons Opera. About 1722, he went to Turin where he was active as a ballet master. Because of the experience as a dancer and choreographer at the Turin Opera, he combined together dance-measures, his beautiful melodies and the technique of violin into his composition.
During his visit to Paris in 1723 to arrange for a publication of his op.1, he acquired a wealthy patron in Joseph Bonnier. Returning to Turin, he wrote ballets for the Teatro Regio Ducale.
After learning violin from Italy under Giovani Battista Somis who is a student of Corelli, Leclair was the first to bring back Italian Baroque style and incorporate into French Baroque concertos to the finest flowering which flourishes with greater demand from the public. To effect this synthesis, he combined elements of Lullian dance and French harpsichord and bass viol pieces with Italian sonata style.
After his first debut at the Concert Spirituel in Paris in 1728, he gained overnight fame and recognition and was invited to perform 11 times within the same year. That shows how his performance was in great demand from the public. King Louis XV appointed him as a chamber musician of the royal musical establishment for his reputation. During them, King Louis XV's government spending on music and arts was the highest amongst the previous kings. An identical appointment was handed to his arch rival Pierre Guignon both rivaling for priority. Eventually they arranged an alternation but when its Leclair turn to play second violin, he could not bring himself to undertake a subordinate role and he resigned his position.
Eventually, he set his sight towards Holland, Amsterdam which had many wealthy music lovers and also a center for music publishing. His other motive is also to pay a visit to Locatelli who is a established and famed violinist so as to refine his composition. It is made known that his 4th book of Sonata which was completed during his visit to Holland was noticed to be in greater degree of technical difficulty and variety.
He was invited to enter the service of Princess Anne at the Orange court in the Netherland and was honored with the Croix Neerlandaise du Lion. At commoner Francois du Liz at The Hague, he was nominated as the maestro di cappella. After which, he entered the service with the Spanish Prince Don Philippe in Chambery briefly and returned back to Paris and spend the rest of his life there.
Labels: Jean-Marie Leclair
Posted by Damien Kee 30 September, 2010 at 11:58 PM .
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