Philippe Courbois

Philippe Courbois (fl. 1705-1730) was a French Baroque composer. It is commonly stated that he was maître de musique of the Duchess of Maine, but Michele Cabrini convincingly refutes this claim in his edition of Courbois's cantatas.^[1] At least three of his masses were performed for the King of France at Versailles.^[2] Sometime before 1710, Courbois published a book of seven cantatas with texts by Louis Fuzelier, who would later write the libretto of Les Indes Galantes. It is these cantatas for which he is most famous today ^[3]

Works, editions, recordings

• L'amant timide (recorded on French Cantatas "Dans un bois solitaire" Gérard Lesne 1999 Virgin)
• Ariane (on Les Déesses outragées, Agnès Mellon, Alpha)
• Orphee (on Amour viens animer ma voix, Olivera, Ramée)
• Dom Quichotte - Loin des yeux qui m’ont fait captif 1728 (text by Louis Fusellier)^[2] (on Cantates comiques, Dominique Visse, Cafe Zimmerman, Alpha)

Courbois was one of many minor French composers who cultivated the cantata during the Baroque period.^[4]

References

1. Michele Cabrini, ed. Cantatas for One or Two Voices (Middletown, WI: A-R Editions, Inc., 2012),ix-x
2. Belt, Byron (1982). French Baroque Cantatas (LP record). Bronx Arts Ensemble Chamber Orchestra; John Ostendorf; Johannes Somary. New York, NY: Leonarda Productions. LPI 109.
3. Recherches sur la musique française classique: Volume 8 1968 "On ignore presque tout de Philippe Courbois, qui fit interpréter ses motets, ses cantates au Concert Spirituel dès les premières années d'existence de celui-ci. On ignore la date même de sa cantate Don Quichotte."
4. Thematic catalogues in music: an annotated bibliography - Page 472 Barry S. Brook, Richard J. Viano - 1997 "Composers: Abeille, Anonymous, Jacques Aubert, Nicolas Bernier (1664-1734), Pierre Montan Berton, François Biferi, François Colin de Blamont, Boismortier, Thomas-Louis Bourgeois, Jean-Baptiste Drouart de Bousset, René Drouart de Bousset, François Bouvard, René de Galard de Béarn, Marquis de Brassac, Nicolas-Antoine Bergiron de Briou, Sébastien de Brossard, Brulart, Brunet de Moland, Bernard Burette, Bernard de Bury le fils, André Campra, Jean-Baptiste Cappus, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, François Chauvon, Chavray, Chupin de la Guitonniere, Louis-Nicolas Clérambault, César-François Nicolas (le fils) Clérambault, Philippe Courbois, François David, Jean Desfontaines, André Cardinal Destouches, Louis-Antoine Dornel, Dubois, Dupré, Dupuits, Jean-Baptiste Dutartre, Pierre Février, Mr Gxxx, Charles-Hubert Gervais, Laurent Gervais, Gomey, Nicolas Racot de Grandval, Honoré-Claude Guédon de Presles, Henri-Charles Guillon, Hubineau, Pierre de La Garde, Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre, Lejay, Louis Lemaire, C. François Lescot, Marchand Du Maine, Henriette de Mars, de Mongaultier, Michel Pignolet de Montéclair, Morel, Jean-Baptiste Morin (composer), Jean-Joseph Mouret, Monsieur N., Louis Néron, Piffet le fils, Pipereau, Charles Piroye, Jean-Philippe Rameau, François Rebel, Nicolas Renier, André Richer, Jean-Baptiste Stuck, Louis-Antoine Travenol, Jean-Claude Trial, and Alexandre Villeneuve.