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Ennemond Gaultier
1575 at Villette Dauphiné-1651 dec.11 at Nèves nr.Villette
French composer and lutenist. To distinguish
him from his cousin Denis Gaultier, he was often referred to as le vieux Gaultier; he
was also known as Gaultier de Lyon ( Lyons is the nearest important city to his
birthplace) .
He was page to the Duchess of Montmorency in Languedoc. He then served as
valet de chambre to Henri IV:s queen (the former Maria dé Medici) from the beginning of
her reign in 1600 until her exile in 1631. During these years he won fame at court as a
lutenist and teacher of the lute; about 1630 he was sent to England, where he played before
Charles I, Queen Henrietta Maria and the Duke of Buckingham . He retired to Dauphiné in 1631:
presumably this is why none of his works, which were widely admired, were published during his
lifetime.
Lack of publication is one of the factors that have made it so difficult to
separate Ennemond Gaultier´s music (all originally for lute ) from that of his cousin Denis,
with whom he was so closely identified: the question is discussed more fully in the article on
Denis Gaultier, as in the nature of their music. They were the most important French lutenists
of the 17th century, and their works are the most significant French contribution to the lute
music of the period.
Monique Rollin