Elisabeth-claude Jacquet De La Guerre (1665-1729)

Series

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

2015

The King's Protege

20150302

20160620 (R3)

As part of Radio 3's celebration of female composers marking International Women's Day, this week Donald Macleod explores with Mary Cyr, the life and music of Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre, hailed by scholars as one of the most successful women in the history of French music. Born in Paris, Elisabeth-Claude Jacquet went on to become famous as a composer and harpsichordist. Her talents were first noticed when, at the age of five, she performed and sung at the court of the Sun King, Louis XIV. He later instructed his mistress, Madame de Montespan, to take Elisabeth into her own entourage.

Jacquet de La Guerre clocked up a number of firsts during her remarkable career. She was the first woman we know of to compose pieces for harpsichord, the first woman known to have composed and published, sets of cantatas, and the first woman to have had an opera performed at the Academie Royale de Musique. She had a huge impact upon music in France, with one author rating her as second only to Lully in the ranks of Baroque French composers.

Donald Macleod on how Louis XIV of France encouraged Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre.

2015

Return To Paris

20150303

20160621 (R3)

1684 was the year that Elisabeth Jacquet left the royal court in Versailles, and returned to Paris. She married Marin de La Guerre who was an organist at the Jesuit church of Saint Louis. The following year, at the age of only twenty, she composed a sung ballet, now lost, to be performed at court. A few years later in 1687, aged only twenty-two, she published her first set of Suites for Harpsichord, including the Suite No 4 in F major, which she dedicated to King Louis XIV.

What happened after Elisabeth Jacquet left the court in Versailles and returned to Paris.

2015

Opera In Paris

20150304

20160622 (R3)

Jacquet de La Guerre had been the first women composer in history to publish a set of Suites for the harpsichord. In 1694 she became the first women to have an opera premiered at the Academy Royale de Musique in Paris. This was a huge undertaking for any composer at the time, and is evidence of her high standing at the time. Unfortunately, C退phale et Procris only had five or six performances, and its reception by the public was lukewarm. In that same year, Jacquet de La Guerre met the composer and critic Sebastien de Brossard. She lent him some of her own music, which was fortunate as it was through his collection that much of her chamber music including the Trio Sonata No 1 in B flat major, has been preserved for us today.

The Academie Royale de Musique's premiere of its first opera by a female composer.

2015

The Elector Of Bavaria

20150305

20160623 (R3)

Jacquet de La Guerre had apartments on the Ile Saint Louis, where she would hold regular musical gatherings for discerning patrons. These concerts would also be a testing ground for her own chamber music, such as her Trio Sonata No 4 in G minor. In 1707 she published a set of violin sonatas, which she dedicated to the Sun King, Louis XIV. It was around this period that another patron came into her life; The Elector of Bavaria, Maximilian II, had taken asylum just outside Paris. Jacquet de La Guerre socialised with Maximilian, sometimes performing music together. She dedicated her third book of cantatas to him, which includes Le Sommeil d'Ulisse. This cantata might have been designed to reflect Maximilian's own situation, and includes themes of misfortune and wandering.

Donald Macleod focuses on Elisabeth's musical relationship with the Elector of Bavaria.

2015

05 LAST

Death Of The Sun King

20150306

20160624 (R3)

Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre lost her most significant Patron, when King Louis XIV of France died in 1715. However, her music was also in demand outside of the royal court, including songs, music for seasonal Fairs and works for the theatre. Her final published work was her Cantates fran瀀oises and, after that, her career took more of a back seat. Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre died a wealthy woman in 1729.

What happened to Jacquet de la Guerre's career after the death of her patron, Louis XIV.

Episodes

Series	Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
2015	01	The King's Protege	20150302	20160620 (R3)	As part of Radio 3's celebration of female composers marking International Women's Day, this week Donald Macleod explores with Mary Cyr, the life and music of Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre, hailed by scholars as one of the most successful women in the history of French music. Born in Paris, Elisabeth-Claude Jacquet went on to become famous as a composer and harpsichordist. Her talents were first noticed when, at the age of five, she performed and sung at the court of the Sun King, Louis XIV. He later instructed his mistress, Madame de Montespan, to take Elisabeth into her own entourage. Jacquet de La Guerre clocked up a number of firsts during her remarkable career. She was the first woman we know of to compose pieces for harpsichord, the first woman known to have composed and published, sets of cantatas, and the first woman to have had an opera performed at the Academie Royale de Musique. She had a huge impact upon music in France, with one author rating her as second only to Lully in the ranks of Baroque French composers. Donald Macleod on how Louis XIV of France encouraged Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre.
2015	02	Return To Paris	20150303	20160621 (R3)	As part of Radio 3's celebration of female composers marking International Women's Day, this week Donald Macleod explores with Mary Cyr, the life and music of Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre, hailed by scholars as one of the most successful women in the history of French music. 1684 was the year that Elisabeth Jacquet left the royal court in Versailles, and returned to Paris. She married Marin de La Guerre who was an organist at the Jesuit church of Saint Louis. The following year, at the age of only twenty, she composed a sung ballet, now lost, to be performed at court. A few years later in 1687, aged only twenty-two, she published her first set of Suites for Harpsichord, including the Suite No 4 in F major, which she dedicated to King Louis XIV. What happened after Elisabeth Jacquet left the court in Versailles and returned to Paris.
2015	03	Opera In Paris	20150304	20160622 (R3)	As part of Radio 3's celebration of female composers marking International Women's Day, this week Donald Macleod explores with Mary Cyr, the life and music of Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre, hailed by scholars as one of the most successful women in the history of French music. Jacquet de La Guerre had been the first women composer in history to publish a set of Suites for the harpsichord. In 1694 she became the first women to have an opera premiered at the Academy Royale de Musique in Paris. This was a huge undertaking for any composer at the time, and is evidence of her high standing at the time. Unfortunately, C退phale et Procris only had five or six performances, and its reception by the public was lukewarm. In that same year, Jacquet de La Guerre met the composer and critic Sebastien de Brossard. She lent him some of her own music, which was fortunate as it was through his collection that much of her chamber music including the Trio Sonata No 1 in B flat major, has been preserved for us today. The Academie Royale de Musique's premiere of its first opera by a female composer.
2015	04	The Elector Of Bavaria	20150305	20160623 (R3)	As part of Radio 3's celebration of female composers marking International Women's Day, this week Donald Macleod explores with Mary Cyr, the life and music of Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre, hailed by scholars as one of the most successful women in the history of French music. Jacquet de La Guerre had apartments on the Ile Saint Louis, where she would hold regular musical gatherings for discerning patrons. These concerts would also be a testing ground for her own chamber music, such as her Trio Sonata No 4 in G minor. In 1707 she published a set of violin sonatas, which she dedicated to the Sun King, Louis XIV. It was around this period that another patron came into her life; The Elector of Bavaria, Maximilian II, had taken asylum just outside Paris. Jacquet de La Guerre socialised with Maximilian, sometimes performing music together. She dedicated her third book of cantatas to him, which includes Le Sommeil d'Ulisse. This cantata might have been designed to reflect Maximilian's own situation, and includes themes of misfortune and wandering. Donald Macleod focuses on Elisabeth's musical relationship with the Elector of Bavaria.
2015	05 LAST	Death Of The Sun King	20150306	20160624 (R3)	As part of Radio 3's celebration of female composers marking International Women's Day, this week Donald Macleod explores with Mary Cyr, the life and music of Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre, hailed by scholars as one of the most successful women in the history of French music. Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre lost her most significant Patron, when King Louis XIV of France died in 1715. However, her music was also in demand outside of the royal court, including songs, music for seasonal Fairs and works for the theatre. Her final published work was her Cantates fran瀀oises and, after that, her career took more of a back seat. Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre died a wealthy woman in 1729. What happened to Jacquet de la Guerre's career after the death of her patron, Louis XIV.