Jean Danican Philidor (ca 1620 – September 8, 1679) was a court musician at Versailles

Versailles

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...

 during the reign of Louis XIII

Louis XIII of France

Louis XIII was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1610 to 1643.Louis was only eight years old when he succeeded his father. His mother, Marie de Medici, acted as regent during Louis' minority...

, and a member of the prestigious Philidor

Philidor

Philidor or Danican Philidor was a family of musicians that served as court musicians to the French kings. The original name of the family was Danican and was of Scottish origin...

 family. The name Philidor was conferred upon Jean's elder brother, Michel Danican (ca 1610-1659), by Louis XIII, when his oboe

Oboe

The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...

 playing reminded the monarch of the Italian virtuoso

Virtuoso

A virtuoso is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability in the fine arts, at singing or playing a musical instrument. The plural form is either virtuosi or the Anglicisation, virtuosos, and the feminine form sometimes used is virtuosa...

 oboe player, Filidori of Siena; however, Michel never formally adopted the surname. Jean is the first individual to be found documented as "Danican dit Filidor" (or "Danican called Philidor"), and evidence implies that he assumed the name at the time of his brother's death, in 1659.

Musical career

While he was perhaps best known for his virtuosic oboe playing, Jean Danican Philidor was a versatile member of the French musical court, also playing the fife

Fife (musical instrument)

A fife is a small, high-pitched, transverse flute that is similar to the piccolo, but louder and shriller due to its narrower bore. The fife originated in medieval Europe and is often used in military and marching bands. Someone who plays the fife is called a fifer...

, crumhorn

Crumhorn

The crumhorn is a musical instrument of the woodwind family, most commonly used during the Renaissance period. In modern times, there has been a revival of interest in Early Music, and crumhorns are being played again....

, and trumpet marine

Tromba marina

A tromba marina, or marine trumpet is a triangular bowed string instrument used in medieval and Renaissance Europe that was highly popular in the 15th century in England and survived into the 18th century...

.

Chronology

• By 1645:
  • Royal Service - Oboist in the Musketeers
  • Member of the Grande Ecurie, a "branch of the royal musical establishment that supported military and other outdoor performances"
• By 1654:
  • Member of the "Cromornes et Trompettes Marines"
• By 1659:
  • Member of "Fifres et Tambours", or the "Fife and Drum Corps"

Composition

It is likely that Jean Danican Philidor was a composer of dance suites; however, scholars are uncertain whether works signed "Philidor le père" are composed by Jean Danican, or his son André, who was also known as Philidor l'Ainé (Philidor the elder).

Development of the oboe

Jean Danican and his brother Michel were among the first ever professional oboe players. Along with other prominent musical families at court, like the Chedevilles and the Hotteterres, they were responsible for the oboe's transformation from its Medieval form, the shawm

Shawm

The shawm was a medieval and Renaissance musical instrument of the woodwind family made in Europe from the 12th century until the 17th century. It was developed from the oriental zurna and is the predecessor of the modern oboe. The body of the shawm was usually turned from a single piece of wood,...

, to the three-joint structure that remains today.

Family

Jean Danican had two accomplished musical sons, André Danican Philidor (1647–1730) and Jacques Danican Philidor (1657–1708), known respectively as Philidor l'aine (Philidor the elder) and Philidor le cadet (Philidor the younger). His grandson, François-André

François-André Danican Philidor

François-André Danican Philidor , often referred to as André Danican Philidor during his lifetime, was a French composer and chess player. He contributed to the early development of the opéra comique...

, son of Philidor the elder, was a renowned musician and chess player.