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Publication of Lullyʼs Sheet Music

1. Opera (Tragédie en musique): Lullyʼs operas were extremely popular and widely performed at the French court. Notable works include Armide and Thésée. Due to the high demand for these operasʼ sheet music within France, it is believed that Lully earned substantial revenue from publishing these works.

2. Ballet Music: Lully was deeply involved in court ballets and achieved success as a composer of ballet music. His ballet works, particularly the "Ballets de cour" (court ballets), were highly popular in France at the time, and the sale of their sheet music also contributed to his income.

3. Sacred Music (Motets and Te Deum): Lully also composed sacred music, which was published as well. Large-scale sacred works like his Te Deum gained widespread recognition in France and abroad, generating profits through their publication.

Lully was under the patronage of King Louis XIV of France and successfully utilized his exclusive musical position at the court to publish and market his works. Moreover, his special rights over musical performances and sheet music publishing allowed him to maximize profits from his privileged status.

I asked ChatGPT4o: "What rights did musicians have over performances and sheet music in the absence of modern copyright?"

In Lullyʼs era (17th century), the concept of copyright as we know it today did not exist. However, various systems and rights allowed composers and musicians to profit from their works. Lully skillfully leveraged these systems. The following rights and privileges were relevant:

1. Royal Monopolies (Privilèges)

Lully was granted special exclusive rights (privilèges) by King Louis XIV of France. These privileges provided him with exclusive advantages, including:

• Exclusive Performance Rights for Operas: Lully held a monopoly on opera performances in France. Other composers and theaters could not stage operas without Lullyʼs permission, allowing him to profit from every performance.

• Exclusive Publishing Rights: Lully also had the exclusive right to publish his own sheet music. In France, music publishing was regulated and required royal permission. Lully secured a strong position in this field, enabling him to exclusively sell his sheet music and prevent unauthorized printing or sales by other publishers.

2. Exclusive Control Over Stage Works

As the head of the Académie Royale de Musique (Royal Academy of Music), Lully had de facto control over musical performances in France. This institution, formally recognized by the king, supervised theaters and public musical performances. Through the Academy, Lully strictly managed performances of music, ballet, and opera, securing income from these activities.

3. Printing and Sales Patents

In 17th-century France, composers could obtain patents from the king for music publishing. Lully used these patents to monopolize the publication of his works. This prevented other composers or publishers from printing his music without permission and ensured steady income from sheet music sales.

4. Contracts with Theaters

Lully signed contracts with theaters for the performance of operas and ballets, ensuring he received a share of the proceeds. Since Lully monopolized performance rights, any theater staging his works had to pay him royalties.

5. Royal Patronage

Lully enjoyed the favor of Louis XIV, receiving financial support and honorary positions from the royal court. His music was frequently performed at court events and official royal functions, for which he was compensated. This royal patronage placed him in a superior position compared to other composers.

Conclusion

Although modern copyright laws did not exist in Lullyʼs time, he leveraged royal privileges to monopolize performance and publication rights, earning significant revenue. His exclusive management of opera performance rights and sheet music publishing was a crucial factor in amassing wealth.

I asked ChatGPT4o: "Did Lully also profit from other composers in relation to opera?"

Yes, Lully profited from other composers in connection with opera. He utilized his exclusive rights to stage operas granted by King Louis XIV to control all opera performances in France. This monopoly allowed Lully to indirectly earn income when other composers or theaters performed operas. Specifically, he profited through the following methods:

1. Permission Fees for Opera Performances

Lully had the authority to grant permission to other composers wishing to stage operas in France. To obtain this permission, composers and theaters had to pay Lully a fee, similar to modern performance royalties. Because he monopolized opera performances, any composer wishing to stage an opera had to pay Lully.

2. Privileges over Sheet Music Publishing

Lully held privileges related to opera sheet music publishing. Even when other composers published their operas, Lully oversaw and managed their publication processes, allowing him to profit from these publications.

3. Control of the Opera Academy

Lully controlled the Académie Royale de Musique, which managed all opera performances in France. Through this institution, Lully maintained influence over other composers and theaters, earning income from any opera performance.

4. Restricting Competition

Lully limited opportunities for other composers to freely stage operas, ensuring that his works were prioritized. This meant that other composers had to seek his permission and pay fees, while Lully adjusted competition to favor his own works, resulting in further income.

Summary

Lully used his exclusive control over opera performances to profit from other composers. He collected fees for performance permissions, controlled sheet music publishing, and managed the opera industry through the Académie Royale de Musique. This system allowed Lully to earn income not only from his works but also indirectly from the works of others.

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