Gossec at Mainly Mozart

I was looking at the schedule for Mainly Mozart and saw the name Gossec. I had never heard of Gossec so I looked him up.

François-Joseph Gossec was a French composer and conductor who lived from 1734 to 1829. Living to the age of 95 during the 18th and 19th Centuries might be his greatest accomplishment. However, he was a prominent figure in the classical music scene of his time, and his works were highly regarded by his contemporaries. Gossec was known for his innovative approach to composition, which combined elements of the Baroque and Classical styles. He was also a pioneer in the use of wind instruments in orchestral music.

Gossec was born in the town of Vergennes, in what is now Belgium. He showed an early aptitude for music and began studying the violin at a young age. He later studied composition with the renowned Italian composer Giovanni Battista Martini in Bologna.

The Baroque style heavily influenced Gossec's early works, but he gradually began to incorporate elements of the emerging Classical style into his compositions. Gossec was a prolific composer, and his output included a wide range of works, from operas and ballets to symphonies and chamber music.\

One of Gossec's most famous works is his first Te Deum, which was composed in 1779 to celebrate the coronation of King Louis XVI. The Te Deum was a success and helped to establish Gossec's reputation as one of the leading composers of his time.

Despite his success, Gossec's career was not without its challenges. He lived through a little period of history known as the French Revolution. He had composed a Te Deum for Louis XVI but was a supporter of the Revolution. Later he was a friend of Napoleon. Apparently, Gossec knew upon which side his bread was buttered.

As is the case with so many composers from the Classical Era, Gossec's music fell out of favor in the years following his death, and he was largely forgotten by the musical establishment. However, in recent years there has been a renewed interest in his work, and his music has been rediscovered by a new generation of musicians and music lovers, including Mainly Mozart.

Having listened to the Te Deum from 1779 and the Requiem from 1760. Both pieces are solid. I wasn’t a fan of the Baroque opening of the Requiem but once it got going I quite enjoyed it. The Te Deum is great from start to finish.