Blanchard, Esprit Joseph Antoine

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Blanchard, Esprit Joseph Antoine

Blanchard, Esprit Joseph Antoine, French composer; b. Pernes, Comtat-Venaissin, Feb. 29, 1696; d. Versailles, April 19, 1770. He studied with Poitevin at the choir school of the St. Sauveur Cathedral in Aix-en-Provence. In 1717 he became maître de musique to the chapter of St. Victor in Marseilles; was then maitre de chapelle at the Toulon, Besançon, and Amiens cathedrals. He succeeded Bernier as sous-maître at the Chapelle du Roi in Versailles in 1738, where he was maître de chapelle from 1761 to 1765. He wrote mainly sacred choral music for performance at the churches where he was employed.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

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