Jean-philippe rameau fun facts

Born in Dijon in 1683, he spent the first 40 years of his life in the relative obscurity of the provinces. He made a short but important trip to Milan, and was for a time a violinist in the Lyons Opera. He held organ posts in Avignon, Clermont (1715-22) and Dijon and visited Paris from 1706 until 1709 - during which time he held two organ posts, was offered a third, and published his first book of harpsichord pieces. About 1713 he moved to Lyons, where he contributed grands motetsto the Lyons Concert(1714).

In 1722 he settled permanently in Paris. With the publication that year of his Traité de l'harmonie he gained the immediate attention and respect of Parisian musicians. But while his music - harpsichord pieces, cantatas and music for the theaters - was also much admired, he was unable to win an organ post in Paris.

He took on pupils, among them the talented Marie-Louise Mangeot, who became his wife in 1726. Following the appearance of his third book of harpsichor Henry purcell.