Gaspard Le Roux
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Gaspard Le Roux () was a French
harpsichord A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a musical keyboard, keyboard. Depressing a key raises its back end within the instrument, which in turn raises a mechanism with a small plectrum made from quill or plastic that plucks one ...
ist active in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
at the beginning of the 18th century. Little is known of his life, which is exacerbated by the commonality of his name among musicians and dance instructors in Paris. A Le Roux is mentioned as the contributor of an in ''
Mercure galant The () was originally a French gazette and literary magazine first published in the 17th century, but after several incarnations has evolved as a publisher, and is now part of the Éditions Gallimard publishing group. The gazette was publish ...
'' (March 1690), but whether this refers to Gaspard in unclear. The name is also found in
Nicolas de Blégny Nicolas de Blégny (1652–1722) was a French essayist, historian and barber surgeon. He was appointed surgeon of Queen Maria Theresa of Spain in 1678, then physician of King Louis XIV in 1682. He published many works, which earned him some viole ...
's , although no address is included; in a tax document, ; two records of Gaspard Le Roux receiving annuities through the notaire publique ''Alexandre Lebèvre'' are dated 8 May 1702 and 5 August 1706 his is the last known reference to Le Roux and the record of his being granted a dated 9 April 1705. previously discovered reference by French musicologist Pierre Hardouin that claimed the receipt of an inventory of Le Roux's chattels on 7 June 1707 has been proved incorrect. Hardouin mistook the name Gaspard Roux as Gaspard Leroux: Roux has been traced as far back as 1 February 1694; subsequent entries describe him as (14 June 1696) and (7 September 1696), suggesting the subject Hardouin mistook as Gaspard Le Roux was someone other, possibly a who lived off annuities from the town of Paris.] Le Roux is known only for his 1705 publication, , that are arranged into seven 'suites' (the term was not used by Le Roux). These were engraved by Henry de Baussen and sold , meaning Le Roux was responsible for not only the costs of engraving and printing, but also in securing the correct accreditation from the state. It was sold from the shop of Henry Foucault – "" and cost ten '' and eleven , ten in bound format. With the exception of the preludes and three dances, there are also found arrangements and five examples of realised , which arrange the second and bass lines of the trios as their starting points. The book suggests that Le Roux was a natural teacher, giving practical advice such as to sing the melodies and accompany them using the trios' thoroughbasses before playing them; it is also demonstrational, providing differing examples of dances and styles. If one imagines a spectrum, with
Charles Dieupart Charles Dieupart (16761751) was a French harpsichordist, violinist, and composer. Although he was known as Charles to his contemporaries according to some biographers, his real name was actually François. He was born in Paris, rue aux Ours, Augus ...
(1701) at the French end, Elizabeth Jacquet de la Guerre's second book (1707) in the middle, and
François Couperin François Couperin (; 10 November 1668 – 11 September 1733) was a French Baroque music, Baroque composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was known as ''Couperin le Grand'' ("Couperin the Great") to distinguish him from other members of the musi ...
in his most Italianate moments at the Italian end, Le Roux's style falls slightly to the French side of Jacquet.


Bibliography

Gaspard Le Roux, ''Pieces de clavessin'' (Paris, 1705) ed. J Baxendale (3 volumes; Tynset: Lyrebird Music, 2020). –––––, ''Pieces for Harpsichord'' (Paris, 1705) ed. A Fuller (Leipzig: Peters Edition, 1959).


Discography

* . Harpsichordists: William Christie and Arthur Haas. Harpsichord maker:
William Dowd William Richmond Dowd (28 February 1922 – 25 November 2008) was an American harpsichord maker and one of the most important pioneers of the historical harpsichord movement. Life and career Born in Newark, New Jersey, he studied English literat ...
, after Taskin. LP . Harmonia Mundi HM 399. 08/1977


References


External links

* *John McKean
''Gaspard Le Roux’s Pièces de Clavecin and the Harpsichord Duet: Contexts and Performance Traditions''
*Jon Baxendale,
In Search of Gaspard Le Roux: An Assessment of Current Research
'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Le Roux, Gaspard 1660s births 1707 deaths French harpsichordists French Baroque composers French male classical composers 18th-century French keyboardists 17th-century French male musicians