Vise, Robert de

(b ? c1655; d 17323). French guitarist, theorbo, lute and viol

player and composer. He was possibly a pupil of Corbetta. He is
first mentioned (as theorbist and guitarist) by Le Gallois in 1680,
and about that time became a chamber musician to Louis XIV. In
the dedication of his first guitar book (1682) he mentions that he
was often called upon by the king to amuse the dauphin, and the
diary of the Count of Dangeau from the year 1686 states that he
regularly played the guitar at the kings bedside in the evenings.
Between 1694 and 1705 Vise frequently performed at the French
court, particularly at the evening gatherings of Mme de Maintenon,
with the flautists Descoteaux and Philibert, the harpsichordist JeanBaptiste Buterne and the viol player Antoine Forqueray. In 1709 he
was appointed to the post of singer in the royal chamber in
recognition of his service to the court, in which he had not until then
held a position. In 1719 he was formally appointed guitar teacher to
the king, although he had actually been the kings instructor since
1695; his son Franois succeeded him in this post in 1721. A letter
of Jean Rousseau of 1688 indicates that Vise was a respected
musician at Versailles and that he also played the viol.
Vises two published guitar books contain a total of 12 suites as
well as several miscellaneous pieces. The longer suites generally
begin with the usual allemande, courante, sarabande and gigue
and end with lighter pieces such as the gavotte, minuet and
bourre. In the shorter suites there is no consistent order of
movements. The Suite no.6 in C minor includes a beautiful
tombeau dedicated to Corbetta. Vises guitar compositions are
intended for a five-course instrument tuned a/ad/d'g/gb/be'.
Exploiting the instruments resources to the fullest extent, they
constitute along with the later works of Corbetta the apex of the
French Baroque guitar literature. Vises works for Baroque lute
and theorbo comprise the same types of dance pieces as are
found in his guitar music and often duplicate the guitar works,
although it is difficult to determine for which instrument the original
versions were written. The fact that a substantial number of
theorbo works survives in manuscript sources shows the regard in
which Vise was held. Though they lack character pieces and
Italian influence, they reveal him as a fitting partner for his
colleagues Marin Marais and Franois Couperin. These pieces
also include various tombeaux as well as arrangements of pieces
by Lully, Marais, Forqueray and Franois Couperin.
WORKS
Edition: R. de Vise: Oeuvres compltes pour guitare, ed. R. Strizich (Paris,
1971)

Livre de guittarre ddi au roy (Paris, 1682/R)

Livre de pices pour la guittarre (Paris, 1686/R)

Pices de thorbe et de luth mises en partition dessus et basse (Paris, 1716)

Air, Que la bouteille a dattraits, in Concerts parodiques, iv (Paris, 1732)
Various works, some from the foregoing publications, are in the following: Recueil
des pices de guitarre, ed. J.B.L. de Castillon, Ghent, 1730, B-Bc; Passacalles y
obras de guitarra, ed. S. de Murcia, 1732, GB-Lbl; F-Pn (7 MSS)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BenoitMC
La BordeE
C. Liddell: The Guitar, Theorbo and Lute Works of Robert de
Vise: a Study in his Process of Arranging (diss., Schola
Cantorum Basiliensis, 1976)
A. Dunn: Style and Development in the Theorbo Works of Robert
Vise: an Introductory Study (diss., U. of California, San
Diego, 1989)
B.L. Prudhomme: A Source Study and Thematic Catalogue of
Robert de Vises Theorbo Works (diss., U. of Colorado, 1992)
A. Miteran: Manuscrit indit de Robert de Vise, Guitare, lv
(1995), 324
ROBERT STRIZICH/DAVID LEDBETTER