Du Mont or Dumont (real name, de Thier), Henri or Henry

Du Mont or Dumont (real name, de Thier), Henri or Henry eminent Belgian-born French organist, harpsichordist, and composer; b. Villers-L’Eveque, near Liege, 1610; d. Paris, May 8, 1684. He entered the choir school of Maastricht Cathedral in 1621 and, after serving as its organist (1630–32), studied with Leonard de Hodemont in Liege. In 1638 he settled in Paris, where he was organist at St. Paul’s Church (1643–84); he also served as organist and harpsichordist to the Duke of Anjou, brother of the King (c. 1652–60), and harpsichordist to Queen Marie-Therese (from 1660). In 1663 he was made sous-maitre of the royal chapel, sharing his duties with Gobert, and later with Expilly and Robert. After Gobert and Expilly retired in 1669, Du Mont and Robert shared the title of compositeur de musique de la Chapelle Royale (1672–83). Du Mont was also maitre de la musique de la Reine from 1673 to 1681.

He was a significant composer of sacred music; his Cinq messes en plain-chant (Paris, 1669) were widely esteemed. He also greatly distinguished himself as a composer of grands motets. For his output, see A. Gastoue, ed., Les messes royales de Heny Du Mont:Étude historique avec transcriptions faites sur les originaux des messes des ler, 2e et 6e tons (Paris, 1909), H. Expert and C. Pineau, eds., Musique d’eglise des XVIF et XVIIF siecles (Paris, 1913–14), F. Raugel, ed., Les maitres franqais de I’orgue aux XVIF et XVIIF siecles (Paris, 1951), and D. Launay, ed., Anthologie du motet latin polyphonique (Paris, 1963).

Bibliography

H. Quittard, Un musicien en France au XVIIF siecle: H.D. M. (Paris, 1906); A. Gastoue, Les Messes Royales de H.D. M. (Paris, 1912).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire