PIERRE BEAUCHAMPS, CHOREOGRAPHER TO MOLIERE'S TROUPE DU ROY

Abstract

THE CAREER of Pierre Beauchamps, the most famous dancer and dancing-master of the seventeenth century, lasted for most of the long reign of Louis XIV. During this time, Beauchamps performed in ballets and operas at court, served as the principal choreographer for Lully's Academie Royale de Musique, composed ballets for Jesuit colleges in Paris, and invented a method of dance notation (the so-called Feuillet notation). These various activities have been the subject of a number of scholarly studies.' Yet his twelve-year association with Moliere's public theatre in Paris has remained a largely neglected aspect of Beauchamps's long and distinguished career. Pierre Beauchamps was born into a family of Parisian violinists and dancingmasters who for generations had supplied both town and court orchestras with able musicians.2 His grandfather, Christophe de Beauchamps, belonged as early as 1560 to the famous musicians' guild, the Confrerie de StJulien-des-Menetriers, and was later one of the 'violons ordinaires de la chambre du roi' in Louis XIII's grand bande.3 Pierre Beauchamps's uncle, Pierre de Beauchamps (1564-1627), also belonged to this orchestra in 1593,4 and Praetorius numbered him among the best French composers and violinists of his day.' Uncle Pierre signed over his position in the grande bande (soon known as the 'Vingt-quatre Violons du Roy') in 1622 to his brother, Louis de Beauchamps, who was also a dancer and choreographer.6 Louis's