Bernard de Bury
Encyclopedia
Bernard de Bury or Buri (20 August 1720 – 19 November 1785) was a French musician and court composer of the late Baroque era.
, a member of a family of musicians, many of whom had appointments to the French court, and was taught music as a young boy.
He wrote his first – and only – harpsichord
book in 1737, at the age of seventeen, and dedicated it to his teacher, François Colin de Blamont
, uncle of his future wife.
In 1741, he bought the charge of Claveciniste de la Chambre from Marguerite-Antoinette Couperin
, which she had inherited from her father François Couperin
as a survivance.
In 1743, he began a successful career with his opéra-ballet Les Caractères de la Folie ("Characters of Madness") which was performed at the Académie Royale de Musique. His works continued to be staged during the festivities given in Versailles, Sceaux
, and Fontainebleau
for more than thirty-five years. He also wrote several cantata
s and motet
s, notably De profundis.
De Bury received a royal pension beginning in 1779, and was ennobled by Louis XVI in 1785, a few months before his death, which occurred at Versailles.
Biography
Bernard de Bury was born at VersaillesVersailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
, a member of a family of musicians, many of whom had appointments to the French court, and was taught music as a young boy.
He wrote his first – and only – harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
book in 1737, at the age of seventeen, and dedicated it to his teacher, François Colin de Blamont
François Colin de Blamont
François Colin de Blamont was a French composer of the Baroque era.Born at Versailles as François Colin, he served as a royal musician and was eventually ennobled in 1750, his surname becoming Colin de Blamont. He was the protegé of Michel-Richard de Lalande and succeeded the latter as Master of...
, uncle of his future wife.
In 1741, he bought the charge of Claveciniste de la Chambre from Marguerite-Antoinette Couperin
Marguerite-Antoinette Couperin
Marguerite-Antoinette Couperin was a French harpsichordist, the first woman to hold the position of ordinaire de la musique de la chambre du roi pour le clavecin . -Life:...
, which she had inherited from her father François Couperin
François Couperin
François Couperin was a French Baroque composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was known as Couperin le Grand to distinguish him from other members of the musically talented Couperin family.-Life:Couperin was born in Paris...
as a survivance.
In 1743, he began a successful career with his opéra-ballet Les Caractères de la Folie ("Characters of Madness") which was performed at the Académie Royale de Musique. His works continued to be staged during the festivities given in Versailles, Sceaux
Sceaux, Hauts-de-Seine
Sceaux is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Wealth:Sceaux is famous for the Château of Sceaux, set in its large park , designed by André Le Nôtre, measuring...
, and Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the arrondissement of Fontainebleau...
for more than thirty-five years. He also wrote several cantata
Cantata
A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....
s and motet
Motet
In classical music, motet is a word that is applied to a number of highly varied choral musical compositions.-Etymology:The name comes either from the Latin movere, or a Latinized version of Old French mot, "word" or "verbal utterance." The Medieval Latin for "motet" is motectum, and the Italian...
s, notably De profundis.
De Bury received a royal pension beginning in 1779, and was ennobled by Louis XVI in 1785, a few months before his death, which occurred at Versailles.
Harpsichord works
- First book of harpsichord pieces, 4 suites in A, C, G, and E (18th century)Music of VersaillesMusic at the French court at Versailles flourished during the time of Louis XIV . Although Bernard de Bury lived after this monarch, the positions for musicians set up under the Sun King would continue well into the eighteenth century. There were over 150 official musicians at the court...
:- Première suite en la: La Minerve – Les Regrets – Les Grâces badines – La Tendre agitation – Le Plaidoyer de Cythère, 1er et 2e rondeaux.
- Deuxième suite en do: La Belle Brune – La Prude – L’Enfantine – La Cythère.
- Troisième suite en sol: Les Amusements, 1er et 2e rondeaux – La *** ou les sentiments – 1er Menuet: Zéphire – 2e Menuet: Flore – La Pythonisse – Loure – La Séduisante, 1er et 2e rondeaux .
- Quatrième suite en mi: La Brillante – La Dampierre – La Michelon – La Jeunesse – Chaconne.
Operas & works for stage
- Les Caractères de la Folie, opéra-ballet, prologue & 3 acts (C. P. Duclos), f.p. Paris, Opéra, 20 August 1743.
-
- with new entrée Hylas et Zélie, f.p. Paris, Opéra, 6 July 1762.
- Jupiter, vainquer des Titan, tragédie lyrique, (collab. Collin de Blamont), f.p. Versailles, 11 December 1745.
- La nymphe de Versailles, divertissement, (Mlle de Lussan), f.p. Versailles, 19 March 1746.
- Les fêtes de Thétis, ballet-héroique, prologue & 2 acts, (P. C. Roy), f.p. Versailles, 14 January 1750.
- Titon et l'Aurore, pastorale-héroique, prologue & 1 act, (Abbé de la Marre & A. H. de Lamotte), f.p. Versailles, Théâtre des Petits Appartements, 14 January 1750.
- La parque vaincue, divertissement in 1 act, (A. Tavenot), f.p. Versailles, Hôtel de Richelieu, 1751 (lost).
- Palmyre, ballet-héroïque, (S. N. R. Chamfort), f.p. Fontainebleau, 24 October 1765.
- Zénis et Amnasie, ballet-héroïque in 1 act, (Chamfort & Duc de Vallière, collab. with J. B. de La Borde), f.p. Fontainbleau, 2 November 1765.
- Prologue for revival of: Persée by Jean-Baptiste LullyJean-Baptiste LullyJean-Baptiste de Lully was an Italian-born French composer who spent most of his life working in the court of Louis XIV of France. He is considered the chief master of the French Baroque style. Lully disavowed any Italian influence in French music of the period. He became a French subject in...
(1747), (collab. with Antoine DauvergneAntoine DauvergneAntoine Dauvergne was a French composer and violinist. Dauvergne served as master of the Chambre du roi, director of the Concert Spirituel from 1762 to 1771, and director of the Opéra three times between 1769 and 1790...
, François FrancoeurFrançois FrancoeurFrançois Francœur was a French composer and violinist.-Biography:He was born in Paris, the son of Joseph Francœur, a basse de violon player and member of the 24 violons du roy. Francœur was instructed in music by his father and joined the Académie Royale de Musique as a violinist at age 15...
, & François RebelFrançois RebelFrançois Rebel was a French composer of the Baroque era. Born in Paris, the son of the leading composer Jean-Féry Rebel, he was a child prodigy who became a violinist in the orchestra of the Paris Opera at the age of 13...
), revival f.p. Versailles, 17 May 1770.
- with new entrée Hylas et Zélie, f.p. Paris, Opéra, 6 July 1762.
Doubtful works
-
- Divertissements attributed to de Bury, cited by Fétis:
- Les Bergers de Sceaux
- Les Nymphes de la Seine
- Divertissements attributed to de Bury, cited by Fétis:
Sources
- Sadie, Stanley (Ed.) [1992] (1994). The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, vol. 1, A-D, chpt: "Bury [Bury], Bernard de" by Philip Weller, New York: MacMillan. ISBN 0-935859-92-6.
- Fr.Wikipédia, Bernard de Bury