Loeillet (also spelled L’Oeillet, Luly, Lulli,Lullie, Lully)

Loeillet (also spelled L’Oeillet, Luly, Lulli,Lullie, Lully), noted family of Flemish musicians:

(1)Jean Baptiste Loeillet, oboist, flutist, harpsichordist, and composer, known as John Loeillet of London; b. Ghent (baptized), Nov. 18, 1680; d. London, July 19,1730. He studied in Ghent and Paris, then went about 1705 to London, where he joined the orch. at Drury Lane (1707); was principal oboe and flute in the orch. at the Queen’s Theatre, Haymarket (1709). He popularized the German transverse flute in England. His compositions follow Italian models, showing thorough understanding of the virtuoso possibilities of his instruments.

Works

Lessons for Harpsichord or Spinet (London, c. 1712; ed. in Monumenta Musicae Belgicae, I, 1932); (6) Sonatas for Variety of Instruments, op.1 (London, 1722); 6 Suits of Lessons for Harpsichord or Spinet (London, 1723; ed. in Monumenta Musicae Belgicae,I,1932); 12 Sonatas in 3 Parts, op.2 (London, c. 1725); 12 Solos, op.3 (London, 1729).

(2)Jacques (Jacob) Loeillet, oboist and composer, brother of the preceding; b. Ghent (baptized), July 7, 1685; d. there, Nov. 28, 1748. He was an oboist in the service of the Elector of Bavaria in the Netherlands and at his court in Munich (1726) and later hautbois de la chambre du roi in Versailles. He returned to Ghent in 1726. He publ. 6 Sonates for 2 Flutes or Violin, op.4 (Paris, 1728), and 6 Sonates for Flute or Violin and Basso Continuo (Paris, 1728).

(3) Jean Baptiste Loeillet, composer, cousin of the two preceding, known as Loeillet de Gant; b. Ghent (baptized), July 6,1688; d. Lyons, c. 1720. He was in the service of the archbishop of Lyons. He publ. 3 books of 12 sonates each for Recorder and Basso Continuo, opp. 1,2, and 4 (Amsterdam, c. 1710,1714,1716); also 2 books of 6 Sonates each for Flute, Oboe or Violin, and Basso Continuo, op.5 (1717).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire