Michel Pignolet de Montéclair

Monteclair was a French composer, theorist and teacher. He, along with Fedeli, introduced the double bass to The Opera Monteclair. He was a distinguished teacher who held the belief that learning must be fun in order to be effective. He co-founded a music shop in Paris, which became the most successful of its time. Monteclair remained a bachelor throughout his life. He did not produce a great body of work, although he wrote for nearly every genre of the 18th century except keyboard. He was influential in the development of the composer Rameau and was known as one of the most eclectic composers of the generation preceeding Rameau. His stage works are characterized by very clear directions for instruments and singers, perhaps as a result of his desire to control the dramatic color of these elements. His theoretical works are concerned for the most part with the practical application of theory. His =Principes de musique= contains an important section of 18th-century French vocal ornamentation.