Anne Louise Brillon de Jouy facts for kids
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Anne Louise Brillon de Jouy (born Anne Louise Boyvin d'Hardancourt; December 13, 1744 – December 5, 1824) was a talented French musician and composer. She lived during a time when music was very important in society.
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Her Life and Music
Anne Louise Brillon de Jouy was born in Paris, France. She was a skilled musician who played and composed music for the harpsichord and the piano. She lived in a town called Passy, near Paris.
Her Compositions
Anne Louise wrote nearly 90 musical pieces. Most of her music was for small groups of instruments, known as chamber music. This included:
- Music for solo keyboard instruments.
- Sonatas for instruments like the cello, violin, or harp.
- Trios for two harpsichords and a piano.
- Songs with singing (vocal music).
She often wrote music to play herself or with her two daughters, Cunégonde and Aldegonde. Her piano music was very advanced for its time. It showed new ways of playing the keyboard. Some of her ideas were later used by famous composers like Czerny and Liszt. Her original music papers are kept in a private collection in France and at a library in Philadelphia, USA.
Friendship with Benjamin Franklin
In 1777, Benjamin Franklin came to Paris. He was an ambassador from the American colonies. He lived close to Anne Louise Brillon de Jouy's home. Franklin often visited her home, which was a popular meeting place for artists and thinkers. He called her musical gatherings "my Opera" because of the music and singing. Even after he returned to America in 1785, they continued to write letters to each other.
Influence on Luigi Boccherini
Around 1767, a famous composer named Luigi Boccherini wrote six sonatas for piano and violin. He dedicated these pieces to Anne Louise Brillon de Jouy. He said she was one of the best harpsichord players in Europe. He noted that she played difficult pieces with great skill and emotion. He also mentioned that she composed her own music.
What's really interesting is that Anne Louise inspired Boccherini to write music specifically for the new pianoforte. This instrument could play both loud and soft sounds. She helped show how the piano could be used in new ways. When Boccherini's sonatas were published, the publisher changed the music to be for the harpsichord. This was because the harpsichord was still more popular at the time.
Music for American Victory
In 1777, Anne Louise composed a piece called Marche des insurgents. This means "March of the Insurgents." She wrote it to celebrate a victory by the American forces during the American Revolutionary War. This shows her support for the American fight for independence.
Anne Louise Brillon de Jouy passed away in Villers-sur-Mer, Calvados, when she was 79 years old.
