Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe
Encyclopedia
Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe (ca. 1640–1700) was a French
composer
and viol
ist.
It is speculated by various scholars that Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe was of Lyonnais or Burgundian petty nobility
; and also the selfsame 'Jean de Sainte-Colombe' noted as the father of 'Monsieur de Saint Colombe le fils.
This assumption was erroneous, according to subsequent research by Jonathan Dunford in Paris. Dunford suggests he was probably from the Pau area in southernmost France and a Protestant; his first name was "Jean". His two daughters were named Brigide and Françoise.
Sainte-Colombe was a celebrated master of the viola da gamba; it is said that he added the seventh string (AA) on the bass viol.
A recluse, he is claimed to have performed publicly only occasionally at his home, in consort with his two daughters, whom he had trained. Aside from them, Sainte-Colombe's students included the Sieur de Danoville
, Jean Desfontaines
, Pierre Méliton, Jean Rousseau and notably Marin Marais
, who wrote Tombeau pour Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe, in 1701, as a memorial to his instructor.
Amongst the extant works of Sainte-Colombe are sixty-seven Concerts à deux violes esgales
, and over 170 pieces for solo seven-string viol, making him perhaps the most prolific French viol composer before Marin Marais.
In 1991, Pascal Quignard
published a novel giving a conjectural picture of the relationship between M. de Sainte-Colombe and Marin Marais, entitled Tous les matins du monde
(All the World's Mornings). Alain Corneau
directed a film based on it, with Jean-Pierre Marielle
as Sainte-Colombe, Guillaume Depardieu
as the young and Gérard Depardieu
as the aged Marin Marais. The soundtrack of the film was realized by Jordi Savall
.
A quotation from a composition of Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe is used in Carlo Forlivesi
's Requiem
(1999).
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...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and viol
Viol
The viol is any one of a family of bowed, fretted and stringed musical instruments developed in the mid-late 15th century and used primarily in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The family is related to and descends primarily from the Renaissance vihuela, a plucked instrument that preceded the...
ist.
It is speculated by various scholars that Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe was of Lyonnais or Burgundian petty nobility
Petty nobility
Petty nobility is dated at least back to 13th century and was formed by Nobles/Knights around their strategic interests. The idea was more capable peasants with leader roles in local community that were given tax exemption for taking care of services like for example guard duties of local primitive...
; and also the selfsame 'Jean de Sainte-Colombe' noted as the father of 'Monsieur de Saint Colombe le fils.
This assumption was erroneous, according to subsequent research by Jonathan Dunford in Paris. Dunford suggests he was probably from the Pau area in southernmost France and a Protestant; his first name was "Jean". His two daughters were named Brigide and Françoise.
Sainte-Colombe was a celebrated master of the viola da gamba; it is said that he added the seventh string (AA) on the bass viol.
A recluse, he is claimed to have performed publicly only occasionally at his home, in consort with his two daughters, whom he had trained. Aside from them, Sainte-Colombe's students included the Sieur de Danoville
Le Sieur Danoville
Le Sieur Danoville was a French gambist and instrumental teacher.He described himself as a disciple of Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe. In Paris in 1687, he published the book L'Art de toucher le dessus et le basse de violle about playing on viola da gamba. This concise work of 47 pages was written...
, Jean Desfontaines
Jean Desfontaines
Jean Desfontaines was a French Baroque composer.Desfontaines was a pupil of Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe. He was a prolific music teacher in Paris, however, it does not seem that he held a public office.-Works:...
, Pierre Méliton, Jean Rousseau and notably Marin Marais
Marin Marais
Marin Marais was a French composer and viol player. He studied composition with Jean-Baptiste Lully, often conducting his operas, and with master of the bass viol Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe for 6 months. He was hired as a musician in 1676 to the royal court of Versailles...
, who wrote Tombeau pour Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe, in 1701, as a memorial to his instructor.
Amongst the extant works of Sainte-Colombe are sixty-seven Concerts à deux violes esgales
A 2 Violes Esgales
A 2 Violes Esgales is the name that an anonymous copyist gave to a 17th century manuscript of music for two bass viola da gambas by Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe found in Alfred Cortot's music library that was transferred to the Bibliothèque Nationale in the 1960s...
, and over 170 pieces for solo seven-string viol, making him perhaps the most prolific French viol composer before Marin Marais.
In 1991, Pascal Quignard
Pascal Quignard
Pascal Quignard is a French writer born in Verneuil-sur-Avre, Eure. In 2002 his novel Les Ombres errantes won the Prix Goncourt, France's top literary prize. Terrasse à Rome , received the French Academy prize in 2000...
published a novel giving a conjectural picture of the relationship between M. de Sainte-Colombe and Marin Marais, entitled Tous les matins du monde
Tous les matins du monde
All the World's Mornings may refer to:*All the World's Mornings , 1991 historical novel by French author Pascal Quignard, focusing on future composer Marin Marais' apprenticeship with austere cellist Sainte-Colombe; original title Tous les matins du monde*Tous les Matins du Monde, 1991 French film...
(All the World's Mornings). Alain Corneau
Alain Corneau
Alain Corneau was a French film director and writer.Corneau was born in Meung-sur-Loire, Loiret. Originally a musician, he worked with Costa-Gavras as an assistant, which was also his first opportunity to work with the actor Yves Montand, with whom he would collaborate three times later in his...
directed a film based on it, with Jean-Pierre Marielle
Jean-Pierre Marielle
Jean-Pierre Marielle is a French actor. He has played in more than a hundred movies in which he brought life to a very large diversity of roles, from the banal citizen , to the serial killer , to the World War II hero , to the compromised spy , to the has-been actor Jean-Pierre Marielle (born...
as Sainte-Colombe, Guillaume Depardieu
Guillaume Depardieu
Guillaume Depardieu was a French actor, winner of a César Award, and the elder son of Gerard Depardieu.-Personal life:...
as the young and Gérard Depardieu
Gérard Depardieu
Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu is a French actor and filmmaker. He is a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, Chevalier of the Ordre national du Mérite and has twice won the César Award for Best Actor...
as the aged Marin Marais. The soundtrack of the film was realized by Jordi Savall
Jordi Savall
Jordi Savall i Bernadet is a Catalan viol player, conductor and composer. He has been one of the major figures in the field of Western early music since the 1970s, largely responsible for bringing the viol back to life on the stage...
.
A quotation from a composition of Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe is used in Carlo Forlivesi
Carlo Forlivesi
Carlo Forlivesi is an Italian composer, performer and researcher.Forlivesi was born in Faenza, Emilia-Romagna. He studied at Bologna Conservatory, Milan Conservatory and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia of Rome...
's Requiem
Requiem (Forlivesi)
REQUIEM by Carlo Forlivesi is an 8-channel electronic music work composed in 1999 and subsequently revised in 2007. It is conceived as an acoustic rite, an electronic poem in three parts – Komm, Les pleurs and ' – separated by a period of silence...
(1999).
External links
- Hoasm.org biography
- http://www.classicalacarte.net/Fiches/9885.htm Mr. de Sainte Colombe, Concerts à deux violes esgales, Jordi Savall, Wieland Kuijken, Alia Vox AVSA 9885,
- http://www.classicalacarte.net/Fiches/9827.htm Mr. de Sainte Colombe le Fils - Six Suittes pour Basse de Viole seule avec le Tombeau pour Mons. de Sainte-Colombe le père, - Jordi Savall, basse de viole, Jean-Pierre Marielle, narrator, (Le Parnasse de la Viole, vol. I), Alia Vox 9827 A+B
- Historical evidence about Mr. de Sainte Colombe