Lalande, Michel-Richard de (1657–1726)

French organist and composer. He taught himself to play the violin, bass viol, and harpsichord. On being refused admission to Jean-Baptiste Lully's orchestra, he took up the organ and secured organist's appointments at three churches. He failed to obtain the post of court organist, but was given charge of the princesses' musical education and became maître de chapelle in 1704.

He learnt music as a chorister at the church of Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois in Paris. In 1683 he was appointed one of the superintendents of the royal chapel, and was appointed master of the royal chapel in 1704. In 1684 he married the court singer Anne Rebel, who died in 1722; his second wife, whom he married in 1723, was Mlle de Cury, daughter of one of the court surgeons.

Works Ballets and opera-ballets Ballet de la jeunesse (1686), Le Palais de Flore (1689), Adonis (1696), Myrtil et Mélicerte (1698), Les Fées (1699), L'Amour fléchi par la constance, L'Hymen champêtre (1700), Ballet de la paix, Les Folies de Cardenio (from Cervantes's Don Quixote, 1720), Ballet de l'inconnu, Les Éléments (with Destouches, 1725), L'Amour berger, Eglogue, ou Pastorale en musique, Les Fontaines de Versailles.

Other 70 motets with orchestral accompaniment; cantata Le Concert d'Esculape; Trois Leçons des ténèbres, Miserere for solo voice; music for the royal table, including Sinfonias pour les soupers du Roi.