30 ballets and similar works, some to texts by distinguished poets, like Molière. He also composed some church music and many violin-solos and pieces for instruments. He is sometimes named the inventor of the minuet, and his place in the history of orchestral music is almost as important as in that of the opera proper. All of his three sons were musically gifted.
Although Lully's vogue long prevented the success of others, several names should be mentioned:—
Marc Antoine Charpentier (d. 1704), born at Paris in 1634, went to Italy to study painting, but became a pupil of Carissimi and returned to France as choirmaster to the Dauphin. Driven out by the intrigues of Lully, he entered the service of Mlle. de Guise, of the Duke of Orleans and of the Jesuit College, finally becoming choirmaster at the Sainte Chapelle. He was Lully's special rival, but in spite of real ability was unable to compete with him in royal favor. He wrote many ballets (from about 1675), a few operas (as Médée, 1694), and 18 oratorios, with psalms and masses.
Pascal Colasse (d. 1709) was Lully's pupil and long his assistant in completing his operas. A royal favorite, from 1677 he was concertmaster at the Opéra and from 1683 held court positions, besides an operatic privilege at Lille. Of his 10 operas (1687-1706) the best was Thétis et Pélée (1689). The failure of some, with other trials, drove him to alchemy and finally into insanity. Marin Marais (d. 1728), another pupil of Lully, from 1685 in the royal orchestra, wrote 4 operas (1693-1709), with many pieces for the gamba (see sec. 112). Henri Desmarets (d. 1741) began his career as a musical page to the king, competing unsuccessfully for a higher position in 1683, and after 1700 was choirmaster to Philip V. of Spain, returning later to serve the Duke of Lorraine. He wrote several operas and ballets (1693-1704, '22).
André Campra (d. 1744) was much more important. After long service (from 1679) as choirmaster at Toulon, Arles, Toulouse, the Jesuit College, the Sainte Chapelle and Notre Dame, from 1697 he turned to secular music and from 1722 was court-conductor. Of his perhaps 20 popular operas (1697-1718, '35) the most noted were Hésione (1700), Tancrède (1702) and Les festes vénitiennes (1710). His style showed Italian influence and had richness in ensemble and instrumental effects.
André Cardinal Destouches (d. 1749), in youth undecided between the priesthood and the army, finally took up music. His Issé (1697) was so successful that he began serious study and produced about 10 operas (till 1726), though without reaching special eminence, except for the time. From 1697 he was royal inspector of music.
86. The German Singspiel.—The term 'singspiel' has no precise meaning, being used of any of the German derivatives of the mediæval plays in which songs were introduced in the midst of the spoken dialogue without distinctly adding to the dramatic effect by their musical treatment. The taste for both part-songs and solo songs was so early developed in Germany under the impress of folk-music, that it was inevitable that all dramatic
