Pierre Beauchamp
Encyclopedia
Pierre Beauchamp (30 October 1631 – February 1705) was a French
choreographer
, dance
r and composer
, and the probable inventor of Beauchamp-Feuillet notation
.
(Yvelines
), into a family of French "dance masters" (maîtres de danse). He débuted at the court of Louis XIV
at age 17, in 1648, in the Ballet du dérèglement des passions. He was made director of the Académie Royale de Danse
in 1671 (although he was not a founding member of the Académie as is often claimed). Beauchamp was principal choreographer to Molière
's acting company (the Troupe du Roy) during 1664-1673, as well as ballet master at the Académie Royale de Musique
and Compositeur des Ballets du Roi. He also gave dance lessons to Louis XIV for over twenty-two years. In these positions, he was highly influential in the development of French baroque dance
. He continued to choreograph and dance at the Court of Versailles after the death of Jean-Baptiste Lully
in 1687; however, choreography and composition of music and ballets for the Jesuit Colleges became his primary occupation from 1697. He died at Paris
.
Writing some years after the actual events, Pierre Rameau
credits Beauchamp with the codification of the five positions of the feet
in classical ballet, as well as a role in the development of the use of arms (note though that, unlike the positions of the feet, the use of arms in baroque dance differs significantly from their use in ballet). The codification method was printed in 1700 by Raoul-Auger Feuillet, who published notated dance scores, and became known as "Beauchamp-Feuillet notation." It was slightly modified by Pierre Rameau in 1725, but continued to be used to record dances for the stage and for domestic use throughout the eighteenth century.
Two choreographies
survive in manuscript copies with attributions to Beauchamp: the ballroom
duet Rigaudons de Mr Bauchand, and the theatrical solo for a man Sarabande de Mr. de Beauchamp. The sarabande
is unusual amongst the surviving male solos because, although it requires a virtuoso technique with its pirouettes and many ornamented steps, it contains no aerial beaten steps.
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...
choreographer
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
, dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
r and 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 the probable inventor of Beauchamp-Feuillet notation
Beauchamp-Feuillet notation
Beauchamp–Feuillet notation is a system of dance notation used in Baroque dance.The notation was commissioned by Louis XIV , and devised in the 1680s by Pierre Beauchamp. It was published in 1700 by Raoul-Auger Feuillet, who began a programme of publishing notated dances...
.
Biography
Pierre Beauchamp 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...
(Yvelines
Yvelines
Yvelines is a French department in the region of Île-de-France.-History:Yvelines was created from the western part of the defunct department of Seine-et-Oise on 1 January 1968 in accordance with a law passed on 10 January 1964 and a décret d'application from 26 February 1965.It gained the...
), into a family of French "dance masters" (maîtres de danse). He débuted at the court of Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
at age 17, in 1648, in the Ballet du dérèglement des passions. He was made director of the Académie Royale de Danse
Académie Royale de Danse
The Académie Royale de Danse, founded by letters patent on the initiative of King Louis XIV of France in March 1661, was the first dance institution established in the Western world...
in 1671 (although he was not a founding member of the Académie as is often claimed). Beauchamp was principal choreographer to Molière
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature...
's acting company (the Troupe du Roy) during 1664-1673, as well as ballet master at the Académie Royale de Musique
Académie Royale de Musique
The Salle Le Peletier was the home of the Paris Opera from 1821 until the building was destroyed by fire in 1873. The theatre was designed and constructed by the architect François Debret on the site of the former Hôtel de Choiseul...
and Compositeur des Ballets du Roi. He also gave dance lessons to Louis XIV for over twenty-two years. In these positions, he was highly influential in the development of French baroque dance
Baroque dance
Baroque dance is dance of the Baroque era , closely linked with Baroque music, theatre and opera.- English country dance :...
. He continued to choreograph and dance at the Court of Versailles after the death of Jean-Baptiste Lully
Jean-Baptiste Lully
Jean-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...
in 1687; however, choreography and composition of music and ballets for the Jesuit Colleges became his primary occupation from 1697. He died at Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Writing some years after the actual events, Pierre Rameau
Pierre Rameau
Pierre Rameau , was the French dancing master to Elisabetta Farnese, and the author of two books that now provide us with valuable information about Baroque dance....
credits Beauchamp with the codification of the five positions of the feet
Positions of the feet in ballet
The positions of the feet in ballet is a fundamental part of classical ballet technique that defines proper placement of feet on the floor. There are five basic positions of the feet in modern-day classical ballet, known as the first through fifth positions...
in classical ballet, as well as a role in the development of the use of arms (note though that, unlike the positions of the feet, the use of arms in baroque dance differs significantly from their use in ballet). The codification method was printed in 1700 by Raoul-Auger Feuillet, who published notated dance scores, and became known as "Beauchamp-Feuillet notation." It was slightly modified by Pierre Rameau in 1725, but continued to be used to record dances for the stage and for domestic use throughout the eighteenth century.
Two choreographies
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
survive in manuscript copies with attributions to Beauchamp: the ballroom
Ballroom
A ballroom is a large room inside a building, the designated purpose of which is holding formal dances called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions contain one or more ballrooms...
duet Rigaudons de Mr Bauchand, and the theatrical solo for a man Sarabande de Mr. de Beauchamp. The sarabande
Sarabande
In music, the sarabande is a dance in triple metre. The second and third beats of each measure are often tied, giving the dance a distinctive rhythm of quarter notes and eighth notes in alternation...
is unusual amongst the surviving male solos because, although it requires a virtuoso technique with its pirouettes and many ornamented steps, it contains no aerial beaten steps.
With Molière and Lully
- Les Fâcheux, choreography, musical composition, orchestral director (1661)
- Le Mariage forcé (1664)
- Le Bourgeois gentilhommeLe Bourgeois GentilhommeLe Bourgeois gentilhomme is a five-act comédie-ballet—a play intermingled with music, dance and singing—by Molière, first presented on 14 October 1670 before the court of Louis XIV at the Château of Chambord by Molière's troupe of actors...
, ballets (1669) - Les Amants magnifiques (1670)
- Psyché, ballets (1671)
- Le Malade imaginaireLe Malade imaginaireThe Imaginary Invalid is a three-act comédie-ballet by the French playwright Molière. It was first performed in 1673 and was the last work he wrote. In an ironic twist of fate, Molière collapsed during his fourth performance as Argan on 17 February and died soon after...
, ballets (1673)
Choreography with Lully
- L'Impatience (1661)
- La Naissance de Vénus (1665)
- AlcesteAlceste (Lully)Alceste, ou Le triomphe d’Alcide is a tragédie en musique in a prologue and five acts by Jean-Baptiste Lully. The French-language libretto is by Philippe Quinault, after Euripides’ Alcestis...
(1674) - AtysAtys (Lully)Atys is a tragédie en musique in a prelude and five acts by Jean-Baptiste Lully to a French-language libretto by Philippe Quinault based on Ovid's Fasti. It was premiered at the royal court in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, January 10, 1676...
(1676) - Isis (1677)
- Le Triomphe de l'amour, avec Pécour (1681)
- Ballet de la jeunesse (1686)
External links
- Facsimile of a 1748 edition of Rameau's book from The Library of Congress' An American Ballroom CompanionAn American Ballroom CompanionAn American Ballroom Companion is an online collection of over two hundred social dance manuals at the Library of Congress related to the period of cca. 1490--1920...
. - César UK Excerpt from Grove Dictionary entry on Pierre Beauchamp.