Bernard de Bury or Buri was a French musician and court composer of the late Baroque era.
Biography
Bernard de Bury was born at Versailles, a member of a family of musicians, many of whom had appointments to the French court, and was taught music as a young boy. He wrote his first – and only – harpsichord book in 1737, at the age of seventeen, and dedicated it to his teacher, François Colin de Blamont, uncle of his future wife. In 1741, he bought the charge of Claveciniste de la Chambre from Marguerite-Antoinette Couperin, which she had inherited from her father François Couperin as a survivance. In 1743, he began a successful career with his opéra-ballet Les Caractères de la Folie which was performed at the Académie Royale de Musique. His works continued to be staged during the festivities given in Versailles, Sceaux, and Fontainebleau for more than thirty-five years. He also wrote several cantatas and motets, notably De profundis. De Bury received a royal pension beginning in 1779, and was ennobled by Louis XVI in 1785, a few months before his death, which occurred at Versailles.
*Première suite en la: La Minerve – Les Regrets – Les Grâces badines – La Tendre agitation – Le Plaidoyer de Cythère, 1er et 2e rondeaux.
*Deuxième suite en do: La Belle Brune – La Prude – L'Enfantine – La Cythère.
*Troisième suite en sol: Les Amusements, 1er et 2e rondeaux – La *** ou les sentiments – 1er Menuet: Zéphire – 2e Menuet: Flore – La Pythonisse – Loure – La Séduisante, 1er et 2e rondeaux .
*Quatrième suite en mi: La Brillante – La Dampierre – La Michelon – La Jeunesse – Chaconne.
Operas and works for stage
Les Caractères de la Folie, opéra-ballet, prologue & 3 acts, f.p. Paris, Opéra, 20 August 1743.
Jupiter, vainquer des Titan, tragédie lyrique,, f.p. Versailles, 11 December 1745.
La nymphe de Versailles, divertissement,, f.p. Versailles, 19 March 1746.
Les fêtes de Thétis, ballet-héroique, prologue & 2 acts,, f.p. Versailles, 14 January 1750.
Titon et l'Aurore, pastorale-héroique, prologue & 1 act,, f.p. Versailles, Théâtre des Petits Appartements, 14 January 1750.
La parque vaincue, divertissement in 1 act,, f.p. Versailles, Hôtel de Richelieu, 1751.
Palmyre, ballet-héroïque,, f.p. Fontainebleau, 24 October 1765.
Zénis et Amnasie, ballet-héroïque in 1 act,, f.p. Fontainbleau, 2 November 1765.
Prologue for revival of: Persée by Jean-Baptiste Lully,, revival f.p. Versailles, 17 May 1770.
