Thomas Gobert Explained

Thomas Gobert (Picardy, c. 1600 - 26 September 1672) was a French priest and composer.^[1]

In 1630 he was a canon at Saint-Quentin, then maître de chapelle at Péronne, Somme. In 1635 he was appointed aumônier with Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu. He succeeded Nicolas Formé as sous-maître of the Chapelle royale. Following the death of Jean Veillot, he was one of the four sous-maîtres with Pierre Robert, Gabriel Expilly and Henry Du Mont. He was charged with the January quarter till 1669.

Works

Few of his works have survived, the grands motets being lost:

• a Paraphrase des Psaumes de David, en vers françois par Antoine Godeau (1659), à 2 voix;
• several airs in the Recueil des plus beaux airs of Benigne de Bacilly (1661);
• 6 pieces in the Livre d'airs de dévotion à 2 parties, of François Berthod (1662).^[2]

Notes and References

1. Marcelle Benoit, Dictionnaire de la musique en France aux XVII^e et XVIII^e siècles, Fayard, 1992,
2. Henry Du Mont - Page 195 Laurence Decobert - 2011 "arrangements de François Berthod sur des airs célèbres de Lambert, Cambefort, Bacilly et d'autres, publiés par Ballard en 1656, 1658 et 1662"