Jean-Baptiste Prin

Jean-Baptiste Prin (* around 1669 in London , † after 1742 in Strasbourg ) was a French composer , musician and dancer.

Life

Jean-Baptiste Prin was the best-known virtuoso on the "Tromba Marina" (see: Trumscheit ) in his day. He learned this instrument from his father and from an English teacher. It was probably the father who had emigrated to England who, in a letter written in London in 1667, mentioned a certain Frenchman named “Mr. Prin ”was mentioned as a virtuoso on the Tromba Marina.

Jean-Baptiste Prin married in Lyon in 1689 and composed numerous works, the majority of which were kept in a simple style. From 1698 onwards, Prin worked at the “Theater de la Foire St. Germain” in Paris, where he often used his “Trompète marine” in his performances. The virtuosity of Prins on this rare instrument did not go unnoticed by the court in Versailles, so that Prin got a job as "maître de danse" and Tromba Marina soloist at the royal court of Louis XIV . But as early as 1704 he left Paris and settled again in Lyon , married again and worked as a dream teacher and player. His diary shows that at that time he was commissioning more than 150 Trumscheit from instrument makers. In 1737 Prin moved to Strasbourg, where in 1742 he wrote the textbook “Traité sur la trompette marine”. In this he wrote about the history of the instrument, so he considered an African original trumpet as a forerunner, and also wrote about its construction and playing technique. Prin bequeathed his instruments and manuscripts to the “Académie des Belles Lettres et Arts” in Lyon.

Works (selection)

Among other things, Prince's compositions include a concerto for tromba marina, oboe and strings, the original manuscript of which is in the “Bibliothèque de la Ville de Lyon”.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ http://www.arcimboldo.ch/teatro/Programm_Meerestrompettist.htm
2. ↑ Manuscript of the Prins Tromba marina concert