# While we had Bach, Hummel, Handel, etc. what was happening in France?



## Lukecash12 (Sep 21, 2009)

Well, we had a group of musicians who contributed just as much to polyphony called the French Organ School. The first among them I'd like to bring up is Claude Balbastre, because although he isn't as popular as the Rameau brothers are today, I think he best demonstrates the prowess in this school.



> Balbastre settled in Paris in 1750 and studied there with Pierre Février, whom he succeeded as organist of the Saint Roch church. Jean-Philippe Rameau helped and protected Claude when he settled in the city, so Balbastre was quickly and efficiently introduced to the Parisian musical circles and high society, and made a brilliant career: he played at the Concert Spirituel until 1782[2], became organist of the Notre-Dame cathedral and of the Chapelle Royale, became harpsichordist to the French royal court where he taught queen Marie-Antoinette, and became organist for Louis-Stanislas-Xavier, Count of Provence, who later became Louis XVIII, King of France. Balbastre fame was so great that the archbishop of Paris had to forbid him to play at Saint Roch during some of the services, because the churches were always crowded when Balbastre played.
> 
> An account of one of these services at Saint Roch is provided by Dr Charles Burney who recounts that, on Sunday 17 June 1770, left a dinner early in order to hear the "celebrated" Balbastre play the organ at Saint Roch. Balbastre "performed in all styles in accompanying the choir. When the Magnificat was sung, he played likewise between each verse several minuets, fugues, imitations, and every species of music, even to hunting pieces and jigs, without surprising or offending the congregation, as far as I was able to discover."[3]


While we obsess over what was happening around Munich and Weimar at that time, let's recognize these composers too, because they actually had more freedom during the services and I would venture to say that their music world is more diverse. Not to mention that they contributed immensely to the keyboard instruments we see today.

Here's my playlist of Balbastre's harpsichord music:


----------



## Dodecaplex (Oct 14, 2011)

Incredible. I find your YouTube playlists to be immensely helpful when it comes to exploring music.

Thank you.


----------

