Lambert, Michel

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Lambert, Michel

Lambert, Michel, eminent French composer; b. Champigny-sur-Veude, near Chinon, Indre-et-Loire, 1610; d. Paris, June 29, 1696. He was a page in the Paris chapel of Gaston of Orleans, brother of Louis XIII, then a singer, member, and subsequently director of Mile, de Montpensier’s 6 “Violons” He also appeared as a singer and dancer in the court ballets. He was maître de musique de la chambre du Roi (1661–96). His daughter married Lully (1662). Lambert was greatly esteemed as a composer, and also renowned as a singing teacher. Only some 300 of his airs are extant.

Works

Les Airs de Monsieur Lambert (Paris, 1660); (60) Airs à 1-4 and Basso Continuo (Paris, 1689); Airs de Monsieur Lambert non imprimez (e. 1710); also airs in various collections; other works include dialogues and récrits for the stage and a few pieces of sacred music.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

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Lambert, Michel

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