Jean-Baptiste Lully and Louis 14th

Our story begins in Grande siecle, the era of France's heyday, era of absolute monarchy.

It all started in 1653, when 21 years old Jean-Baptiste Lully met Louis 14th. Together, the future Great King of France and the Great Composer, danced in Ballet Royal de la nuit, which was staged in honor of the King's victory over the Fronde. In this ballet Louis 14th played the role of the Sun and Jean-Baptiste had three roles: the beggar, soldier and one of Three Graces.

This meeting was a beginning of the long and close partnership, which continued 30 years. Louis 14th greatly appreciated Lully and the composer was devoted to His Majesty; Lully loved the King and next 30 years he would do his best for serving to the greatness of the King.

Two months later after Ballet Royal de la nuit, Louis 14th appointed Jean-Baptiste to the post of chamber music composer and in spite of the modesty of this position, it was a great start for Lully’s career.

Following the memories of Lully’s contemporaries, the composer was very complicated person - quick-tempered and impertinent, he did not tolerate any other talents and this is why any person who could eclipse him, was sent far away from the court. The same thing we can say about Louis 14th, the King did not tolerate any of other power, he considered himself like one of the greatest monarchs in Europe.

In 1661 Louis 14th appointed Jean-Baptiste Lully for the position of surintendant of music in France. This position made Lully being a ruler in music world, henceforth only Lully could ask for the taste and direction in the music world, approve or reject genres, performances. It also allowed Jean-Baptiste to create a very special musical style, which fully corresponded to the tastes of the King. I am talking about comedie-ballet, the genre invented by Jean-Baptiste Lully and Jean-Baptiste Moliere.

Louis 14th trusted Jean-Baptiste Lully, he saw in him (as we would say now) an excellent manager, this is why the composer was charged with the organization of royal entertainment. In 1664 there was first grand festival in Versailles - Amusements of Enchanted Island (Grand Divertissement), which took six days. Lully was fully in charge of this entertainment: he conducted the orchestra, wrote a plot, assigned the roles, composed music, leaded the rehearsals, made mise en scene and decorations.

Lully was not a schemer and all the privileges and posts were given to him only for his merits. It is understandable, why Louis 14th wanted to reward his favourite with the noble title, however, Lully refused King’s mercy, instead the composer asked His Majesty to give him a post of Lord High Chancellor of the King. What is this post? It's to be a right hand of the King and a consultant in such questions like: foreign policy, domestic policy, taxation, treasury income distribution etc.

In spite of the fact, that Jean-Baptiste Lully was married and he had six children, he (like they said in that time) had Italian morals. The weakness of Lully were men. During the whole period of Lully’s service at the court, scandals broke out around his name, French court was abhorrent to homosexual proclivities of the composer. However, during all 30 years the King was protecting Jean-Baptiste, maybe, because his own brother was a homosexual and thus, by protecting Lully, Louis 14th protected his brother. But in 1682 there was a huge scandal and, actually, that was the end of the partnership between the King and Lully.

In 1682 the Royal Court moved to Versailles. Soon the Queen, Maria Theresa of Spain, died and Louis 14th got married with madame de Maintenon. Madame de Maintenon was a woman with the strict morals, she was religious; she was against the theater and court entertainments. She completely disliked Jean-Baptiste Lully. When a scandal erupted around the composer's name, he was accused on sodomy with his Page-boy Brunet, madame de Maintenon pushed her royal husband to get rid of Lully.

The scandal was really huge, so it all ended up with Lully fell out of favor with the King, however, it did not damage his career. Jean-Baptiste continued to write great opera-ballets, but the King would never come to listen to Lully’s music again and that was a big lost for Jean-Baptiste.

Lully died on March 22, 1687.

Louis 14th died on September 1st, 1715.

I do not know, did Louis 14th thought of his court composer and how did he get over Lully’s death. For these questions, unfortunately, there are not any of responses. However, Lully and the King consigned to history of France like two Suns: the Sun of Absolute Monarchy and the Sun of Music.

Author: Alisia Holainen (Musique de Cour)