Laurent Belissen
Encyclopedia
Laurent Belissen (8 August 1693 – 12 February 1762) was a French
Baroque
composer. He was born in Aix-en-Provence
and may have been among the last students of Guillaume Poitevin, then maître de musique at the choir school of the Aix Cathedral.
By 1722 Belissen settled in Marseille
, where he succeeded Antoine Blanchard as maître de musique of the Abbey of St. Victor, which was then rapidly declining in importance—but he also secured a position directing the city's Académie de Concerts. Belissen remained in Marseilles until his death.
Much of Belissen's music is either lost or remains uncatalogued. His four grands motets adopt a style radically different from what contemporary Versailles
composers used: Belissen uses four voices instead of five, and his style successfully combines Italian and French traits. One mass
survives incomplete, and at least two more are presumed lost, similarly to other grands motets, Magnificat
settings, Lamentations, etc.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Baroque
Baroque music
Baroque music describes a style of Western Classical music approximately extending from 1600 to 1760. This era follows the Renaissance and was followed in turn by the Classical era...
composer. He was born in Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
and may have been among the last students of Guillaume Poitevin, then maître de musique at the choir school of the Aix Cathedral.
By 1722 Belissen settled in Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
, where he succeeded Antoine Blanchard as maître de musique of the Abbey of St. Victor, which was then rapidly declining in importance—but he also secured a position directing the city's Académie de Concerts. Belissen remained in Marseilles until his death.
Much of Belissen's music is either lost or remains uncatalogued. His four grands motets adopt a style radically different from what contemporary 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...
composers used: Belissen uses four voices instead of five, and his style successfully combines Italian and French traits. One mass
Mass (music)
The Mass, a form of sacred musical composition, is a choral composition that sets the invariable portions of the Eucharistic liturgy to music...
survives incomplete, and at least two more are presumed lost, similarly to other grands motets, Magnificat
Magnificat
The Magnificat — also known as the Song of Mary or the Canticle of Mary — is a canticle frequently sung liturgically in Christian church services. It is one of the eight most ancient Christian hymns and perhaps the earliest Marian hymn...
settings, Lamentations, etc.