Jean Rousseau (1 October 1644 – 1 June 1699) was a French

viol The viola da gamba (), or viol, or informally gamba, is a bowed and fretted string instrument that is played (i.e. "on the leg"). It is distinct from the later violin family, violin, or ; and it is any one of the earlier viol family of bow (m ...

player,

theorist A theory is a systematic and rational form of abstract thinking about a phenomenon, or the conclusions derived from such thinking. It involves contemplative and logical reasoning, often supported by processes such as observation, experimentation, ...

, composer, and author remembered principally for his ''Traité de la viole'' (1687), a valuable source of information on the performance practices of his time, as well as on techniques used in the construction of viols . Rousseau was a pupil of Sainte Colombe for just one month, as the culmination of three years' study of the viol, and later dedicated his ''Traité'' to him. In that work, Rousseau defended Sainte Colombe's innovations in left-hand technique, and systematically refuted the attacks made by

Le Sieur de Machy Machy, known as Le Sieur de Machy (fl. 1655–1700) was a French viol player, composer, and teacher remembered principally for his ''Pièces de Violle en Musique et en Tablature'' (1685), a valuable source of information on the performance practice ...

in the preface to his ''Pièces de violle'' (1685) .

References

* People from Moulins, Allier 1644 births 1699 deaths French male classical composers French Baroque composers French Baroque viol players French music theorists French male non-fiction writers 17th-century French classical composers 17th-century French male musicians {{Bowed-musician-stub