CLERAMBAULT, LOUIS-NICHOLAS

born Dec. 19, 1676, Paris died Oct. 26, 1749, Paris French composer and organist whose secular chamber cantatas, his most important works, are esteemed for their grace and feeling. Clrambault was organist at several Paris churches and at Saint-Cyr and held the post of music superintendent to Mme de Maintenon. In 1745 he wrote the music for the wedding of the Dauphin and the Infanta of Spain. His cantatas, published in five volumes (1710 ff.), were frequently drawn from classical subjectse.g., Orphe, Hro et Landre, Pigmalion. The recitatives are in the French style, but the arias are fluent and strong in the prevailing Italian tradition. The instrumental introductions or simphonies show a mastery of the concerto style. One of his best works was Le Soleil vainqueur (1721), a thanksgiving for Louis XV's recovery from illness. He also composed a book of organ music, which ranks with the best organ music of his era; church music, including a Te Deum; and a volume of harpsichord music.