Louis-Nicolas Clérambault

Louis-Nicolas Clérambault
Louis-Nicolas Clérambault
Born	19 December 1676; Paris, France
Died	26 October 1749 (aged 72); Paris, France
Occupation	Composer and organist
Years active	1704-1749

Louis-Nicolas Clérambault (19 December 1676 – 26 October 1749) was a French musician, best known as an organist and composer. He was born, and deceased, in Paris.

Biography[edit]

Clérambault came from a musical family (his father and two of his sons were also musicians). While very young, he learned to play the violin and harpsichord and he studied the organ with André Raison. Clérambault also studied composition and voice with Jean-Baptiste Moreau.

Clérambault became the organist at the church of the Grands-Augustins and entered the service of Madame de Maintenon. After the death of Louis XIV and Guillaume-Gabriel Nivers, he succeeded the latter at the organ of the church of Saint-Sulpice and the royal house of Saint-Cyr, an institution for young girls from the poor nobility. He was responsible there for music, the organ, directing chants and choir, etc. It was in this post—it remained his after the death of Madame de Maintenon—that he developed the genre of the "French cantata" of which he was the uncontested master. In 1719 he succeeded his teacher André Raison at the organs of the church of the Grands-Jacobins.

Basse et dessus de trompette (1710)

Movement 5 of Suite du Premier Ton (Suite in C major) from his 1710 publication, Livre d'Orgue

Problems playing this file? See media help.

His Motet du Saint Sacrement in G major is one of the first French works known to have been performed in Philadelphia.^[1]

Works[edit]

His important published work includes:

a large number of religious pieces with chants and choirs, (motets, hymns, Magnificat, Te Deum etc.);
more than 25 secular cantatas on subjects often inspired by Greco-Roman myths;
sonatas for violin and basso continuo:
a book of dance pieces for the harpsichord (1704) in which he adopted the tradition of the unmeasured prelude;
a book of organ pieces in two suites (1710) in which melodic charm wins out over religious spirit. These two collections seemed destined to begin a cycle of pieces in all keys but Clérambault never completed the cycle.

By opus number[edit]

1: Cantata Book I No. 1: L'amour piqué par une abeille
2: Cantata Book I No. 2: Le jaloux
3: Cantata Book I No. 3: Orphée
4: Cantata Book I No. 4: Polyphême
5: Cantata Book I No. 5: Médée
6: Cantata Book I No. 6: L'amour et Bacchus
7: Cantata Book II No. 1: Alphée et Aréthuse
8: Cantata Book II No. 2: Léandre et Héro
9: Cantata Book II No. 3: La musette
10: Cantata Book II No. 4: Pirame et Tisbé
11: Cantata Book II No. 5: Pigmalion
12: Cantata Book II No. 6: Le triomphe de la paix
13: Cantata: Le bouclier de Minerve
14: Cantata: Abraham
15: Cantata Book III No. 1: Apollon
16: Cantata Book III No. 2: Zéphire et Flore
17: Cantata Book III No. 3: L'isle de Délos
18: Cantata Book III No. 4: La mort d'Hercule
19: Cantata: La muse de l'Opéra
20: Cantata Book IV No. 1: L'amour guéri par l'amour
21: Cantata Book IV No. 2: Apollon et Doris
22: Cantata: Le soleil, vainqueur des nuages
23: Cantata Book V No. 1: Clitie
24: Cantata Book V No. 2: Les forges de Vulcain
25: Cantata: Les francs masçons
26: Choeurs et intermèdes de l'idille de St Cyr
27: Choeurs de l'idille de St Cyr sur le départ du roi
28: Le triomphe d'Iris
29: Le triomphe de la vertu, ou Hercule vainqueur des plaisirs
30: Himne de Saint Louis
31: Idille sur la naissance de Nôtre Seigneur de Moreau (arrangement)
32: Le retour du printemps (lost)
33: Daphnis et Sylvie (lost)
34: Air à boire: Enfin nos voeux sont satisfaits in C major
35: Air à boire: C'en est fait j'ai brisé ma chaîne in G major
36: Air italien: Vuol parlar il mio cuore in F major
37: Air à boire: Buveurs trop altérés in E minor
38: Ariette: Hélas! La pauvre fille in E minor
39: Air sérieux: Jugez de ma peine extrême in C minor
40: Air à boire: Réparons l'honneur de la treille in C major
41: Air à boire: Amis, le dieu du vin s'empresse in G major
42: Canon: Vive le roi in C major
43: Harpsichord Suite No. 1 en C major
44: Harpsichord Suite No. 2 en C minor
45: Prelude for harpsichord in G major
46: Organ suite of the first tone
47: Organ suite of the second tone
48: Chaconne for violin, viola da gamba and continuo in A major
49: Allemande for violin and continuo in A major
50: Menuet en rondeau for violin and continuo in A major
51: Sonata I in G major "L'anonima"
52: Sonata II in G major "La félicité"
53: Sonata III in B flat major "L'abondance"
54: Sonata IV in F major "Symphonia"
55: Sonata V in D major
56: Sonata VI in C major "L'impromptu"
57: Sonata VII in E minor "La magnifique"
58: Motet pour le jour de Noël in A major
59: Motet pour le dimanche de la quinquagezime in E minor
60: Motet pour le lundy qui précède le caresme in A major
61: Motet pour le mardy qui précède le caresme in D minor
62: Motet de la Sainte Vierge in C minor
63: Motet pour le roy in D minor
64: Motet pour l'ascension in B flat major
65: Motet du Saint Esprit in E minor
66: Motet du Saint Sacrement in E minor
67: Motet du Saint Sacrement in D major
68: Motet du Saint Sacrement in G major
69: Motet pour le bienheureux Vincent de Paul in A major
70: Stabat mater in B flat major
71: Motet pour Sainte Françoise in A minor
72: Motet pour Saint Joseph in G major
73: Motet pour le saint jour de pâques in F major
74: Motet pour l'ascension in F major
75: Motet pour la fête de la Sainte Trinité in F major
76: Motet de Saint Jean Baptiste in G major
77: Motet de Saint Roch in G major
78: Motet pour le bienheureux Vincent de Paul in C major
79: Motet pour les Saints Anges in F major
80: Motet de Saint Denis in C minor
81: Motet pour la fête de tous les saints in B flat major
82: Motet pour les apostres in A minor
83: Motet du Saint Sacrement in A minor
84: Motet du Saint Sacrement in G major
85: Motet du Saint Sacrement in F major
86: Motet du Saint Sacrement in D minor
87: Motet du Saint Sacrement in D major
88: Motet de la Sainte Vierge in A major
89: Motet de la Sainte Vierge in G minor
90: Motet de la Sainte Vierge in G major
91: Motet de la Sainte Vierge in D major
92: Motet de la Sainte Vierge in C minor
93: Motet de la Sainte Vierge pour le caresme in G minor
94: Motet de la Sainte Vierge pour le tems de pasques in G major
95: Motet de la Sainte Vierge in A major
96: Motet de la Sainte Vierge in D minor
97: Domine salvum in A minor
98: Domine salvum in F major
99: Cantique des anges in D major
100: Antienne à la Sainte Vierge pour le temps pascal in G major
101: Motet de Saint Benoit in G major
102: Motet de Saint Bernard in G major
103: Motet de Saint Michel in D major
104: Antienne à la Sainte Vierge in G minor
105: Motet de Saint Dominique in G major
106: Motet du Saint Sacrement in F major
107: Motet de Saint Jean l'Evangéliste in A major
108: Motet de Saint Augustin in D minor
109: Motet de la Sainte Vierge in C minor
110: Motet du Saint Sacrement in A major
111: Motet pour la fête de l'assomption in D major
112: Motet de Saint Sulpice in D major
113: Motet de Saint Pie in D major
114: Salve regina in E minor
115: Motet de Sainte Chantal in A major
116: Miserere à 3 in G minor
117: De profundis clamavi in D minor
118: Ecce quam bonum in G major
119: Dominus quis habitabit in A major
120: Judica me Deus in G minor
121: Exaltabo te Domine in A major
122: Exultate Deo in G major
123: Miserere in C minor
124: Motet de la Sainte Vierge in G minor
125: Conturbatus est spiritus meus in C minor
126: Motet de Saint Jean Baptiste in D major
127: Motet de la Sainte Vierge in F major
128: Motet du Saint Sacrement in D major
129: Motet de Saint Sulpice in G major
130: Viderunt te aquae Deus in E minor
131: Motet du Saint Sacrement in C minor
132: Antienne à la Sainte Vierge in C major
133: Motet du Saint Sacrement in F major
134: Motet du Saint Sacrement in A minor
135: Motet de la Sainte Vierge in D minor
136: Magnificat à trois parties in F major
137: Te Deum in A minor
138: Te Deum in C major
139: Dixit Dominus in E minor
140: Regina caeli in F major
141: Exultate Deo in D major
142: Audite gentes in D major
143: Motet pour le sacré coeur de Jésus in A major
144: Motet pour la nativité de Saint Jean Baptiste in G major
145: Motet pour Saint Sulpice in A major
146: Motet pour le roy, la reine et le dauphin in A major
147: Pseaume 28 in C major
148: Motet de Saint Sulpice in D major
149: Motet pour la dédicace de l'eglise de Saint Sulpice in D major
150: Motet pour la canonisation de Saint Pie in G major
151: Motet de Saint Sulpice in B flat major
152: Motet pour le roy in B flat major
153: Pseaume 121 in C major
154: Magnificat à trois parties in D minor
155: Te Deum à trois parties in C major
156: Motet du Saint Sacrement in A major
157: Motet pour le roy in A major
158: Motet pour le roy in G minor
159: Motet pour le roy in E minor
160: Stabat mater in B flat major
161: Exaudiat in D minor
162: Exaudiat in F major
163: O sacrum convivium in A major
164: Tantum ergo in A minor
165: O salutaris hostia in E minor
166: Adoramus te Christe in A minor
167: Pie Jesu in C minor
168: Litanies du sacré coeur de Jésus in C major
169: Vovete et redite in G major
170: Salve regina in D minor
171: Motet pour la fête de la Sainte Trinité in G major
172: Motet de Saint Augustin in F major (Nivers arr. Clérambault)
173: O salutaris in A major (Nivers arr. Clérambault)
174: Motet du Saint Sacrement in D major (Nivers arr. Clérambault)
175: Motet du Saint Sacrement in G minor (Nivers arr. Clérambault)
176: Motet du Saint Sacrement in A major (Nivers arr. Clérambault)
177: Motet de la Sainte Vierge in A major (Nivers arr. Clérambault)
178: Motet de la Sainte Vierge in A major (Nivers arr. Clérambault)
179: Motet de la Sainte Vierge in D major (Nivers arr. Clérambault)
180: Motet de la Sainte Vierge in A major (Nivers arr. Clérambault)
181: Motet de la Sainte Vierge in D major (Nivers arr. Clérambault)
182: Motet de la Sainte Vierge in F major (Nivers arr. Clérambault)
183–188: 6 Leçons de ténèbres (lost)
189: O Filii (lost)
190: Laudemus cantemus (lost)
191: L'histoire de la femme adultère
192: Air spirituel: Vertus – Misères du pêché in C minor
193: Air spirituel: Stance in A minor
194: Air spirituel: Vertus – La résignation in F major
195: Air spirituel: Le paradis in A major
196: Airs spirituels: Louanges de Dieu in E minor
197: Air spirituel: Mistères de Notre Seigneur J.C. – Moment in B flat major
198: Air spirituel: Mistères de Notre Seigneur J.C. – Sa résurrection in B flat major
199: Air spirituel: Vertus – Amour de la sagesse in C minor
200: Air spirituel: Noël in G major
201: Air spirituel: Vertus – L'innocence in G major
202: Air spirituel: Cantique de Saint Bernard in G major
203: Air spirituel: Vertus – L'education in G minor
204: Air spirituel: Vertus – Respect dans le lieu saint in A minor
205: Air spirituel: Noël in A major
206: Air spirituel: Cantique in A minor
207: Airs spirituels: Vices – Le libertinage in D minor
208: Air spirituel: Sonnet de Des Barreaux in D minor
209: Air spirituel: Vertus – La confiance in G minor
210: Air spirituel: Vertus – La sagesse in E minor
211: Air spirituel: Cantique de Saint Bernard in C major
212: Airs spirituels: Louanges de Dieu in B flat major
213: Airs spirituels: Mistères de Notre Seigneur J.C. – Sa circoncision in G major
214: Airs spirituels: Les IV fins de l'homme – L'impie détrompé in B flat major
215: Air spirituel: Les IV fins de l'homme – Fuite du tems in G major
216: Air spirituel: Vertus – Prière dans la tentation in G minor
217: Air spirituel: Stance – Mon coeur est accablé in G major
218: Air spirituel: Ne cherchons plus que Dieu in G major
219: Air spirituel: Stance – N'espérons plus mon âme in D minor
220: Air spirituel: Stance – Objets lugubres et funèbres in D minor
221: Air spirituel: Sur les O de Noël – O sapientia in D minor
222: Air spirituel: Sur les O de Noël – O adonai in D major
223: Air spirituel: Sur les O de Noël – O radix Jesse in F major
224: Air spirituel: Sur les O de Noël – O clavis David in F major
225: Air spirituel: Sur les O de Noël – O oriens in G major
226: Air spirituel: Sur les O de Noël – O rex gentium in G major
227: Air spirituel: Sur les O de Noël – O Emmanuel in E minor
228: Air spirituel: O vive flamme in A major
229: Airs spirituels: Mistères de Notre Seigneur J.C. – Son incarnation in G major
230: Air spirituel: Stance – Pour un pécheur in C minor
231: Airs spirituels: Les IV fins de l'homme – La mort in B minor
232: Air spirituel: Stance – Quand je pense au Seigneur in G major
233: Air spirituel: Mistères de Notre Seigneur J.C. – Sa mort in F major
234: Air spirituel: Vices – L'oisiveté in A major
235: Air spirituel: Sur les désirs de la mort in C minor
236: Air spirituel: Les IV fins de l'homme – Le paradis in A major
237: Air spirituel: Désir de la mort in B flat major
238: Air spirituel: Stance – Vous me cherchez Seigneur in D minor
239: Règles d'accompagnement

References[edit]

^ Annals of Music in Philadelphia

External links[edit]

Louis-Nicolas Clérambault at Encyclopædia Britannica
Free scores by Louis-Nicolas Clérambault at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)

Preceded by Guillaume-Gabriel Nivers	Titular Organist Church of Saint-Sulpice, Paris 1714–1749	Succeeded by César-François Clérambault

[1] Annals of Music in Philadelphia

[1]