Fétis, François Joseph (1784-1871)

Belgian musicologist. He wrote a Biographie universelle des musiciens (1835-44), an unfinished Histoire générale de la musique (1869-76), and many theoretical works. He also wrote several operas. He is seen as the founder of modern musical lexicography and probably the most prolific musicologist ever, though his work is often highly unreliable.

He was born in Mons, and was trained by his father and in Paris. He was appointed organist and professor of music at Douai in 1813, professor at the Paris Conservatory in 1821, and director of the Brussels Conservatory and chapel master to Leopold I in 1833. In 1827 he founded the Revue musicale.