Among the Great Masters of Music | Page 7

thus the young
Lulli got his start in the world.
He soon gained experience of the uncertainty which attended the favour
of royalty, for, after a few days, "La Grande Mademoiselle" grew tired
of her new toy, and sent him to the kitchen, where he became a cook's
boy. Here, in the intervals of his work, surrounded by pots and pans,
and eatables of all kinds, he often played upon his violin, or sang to his
guitar. He is credited with having set some verses to music, at this time;
among them the popular "Au Clair de la Lune," which the numberless
readers of "Trilby" will remember was sung by La Svengali, on that
famous night at the Cirque des Bashibazoucks. Some couplets
reflecting on his mistress were sent to the young musician, and,
composing a pretty air to the words, he sang them to the frequenters of
the kitchen. This disrespectful act reached the ears of the duchess, who
thereupon expelled Lulli from her house.
[Illustration: The Young Lulli. From painting by H. de la Charlerie.]
His talent for the violin had, however, attracted the attention of some
people of influence, and he was placed under tuition, and finally made
one of the court musicians. At nineteen years old, he played for the first
time before the king, who was much pleased, and appointed him
Inspector of the Violins, and organised for him a band of young
musicians, who were called Les Petits Violons, to distinguish them
from the Grande Bande des Violons du Roi. Lulli was then chosen to
compose dance-music for the ballets performed at court, and afterward
the entire musical portion of these entertainments was entrusted to him.
He became also a collaborator of Molière, furnishing the music for
many of the great dramatist's plays, and even acting in some of them.

His greatest fame was won in the composition of operas, for which the
poet Quinault wrote the words, and he is justly considered to be the
founder of French opera. Among Lulli's operas are "Armide," "Isis,"
"Atys," "Alceste," "Psyche," "Proserpine," and "Bellerophon." The
composer did not reach old age, but died in 1687, about fifty-four years
old, wealthy and honoured, and a great favourite of Louis XIV., who
had made him "Superintendent of the King's Music," and treated him
with much liberality. His death was caused, one might say, by an
illness of the king. When Louis recovered from this sickness, Lulli was
commanded to write a Te Deum in grateful celebration of the event. At
the first performance, the composer himself conducted, and while
beating time with his baton, accidentally struck it against his foot,
causing a bruise, which developed into an abscess of such a malignant
character that the entire foot, and then the leg were affected.
Amputation was advised as the only hope of saving the patient's life,
but Lulli hesitated in giving his consent, and it was soon too late. From
all accounts, the closing scene of Lulli's life was not marked with that
awe which generally attends a death-bed. He desired absolution, but his
confessor would not absolve him, except on the condition that he would
commit to flames the score of his latest opera. After many excuses,
Lulli at length acquiesced, and pointing to a drawer, where was the
rough score of "Achille et Polixene," it was burned, the absolution
granted, and the priest went home satisfied.
Lulli grew better, and one of the young princes visited him.
"What, Baptiste," said he, "have you burnt your opera? You were a fool
for giving such credit to a gloomy confessor, and burning such good
music."
"Hush! hush!" whispered Lulli, "I knew well what I was about,--I have
another copy of it!"
But this was not all. Unhappily, this joke was followed by a relapse,
and the prospect of certain death caused him such dreadful remorse for
his deceit to the priest, that he confessed all, and submitted to be laid on
a heap of ashes, with a cord around his neck, which was the penance
recommended him! He was then placed in bed, and expired singing, "Il

faut mourir, pecheur, il faut mourir!" to one of his own airs.
Many anecdotes are told about Lulli, of which we will repeat one or
two.
So fatal was the influence of success and its attendant fortune upon
Lulli's career, that he entirely laid aside his violin, and refused to have
such a thing in his house, nor could any one prevail upon him to play
upon one. Marshal de Gramont, however, was his match. He
determined not to be entirely deprived of his favourite treat, and
devised the ingenious plan of making one of his servants, who could
bring more noise than music out of the instrument, play upon the violin
in Lulli's