André Ernest Modeste Grétry (1741-1813) was a Belgian composer, born in Liège. Between the ages of 17 and 18 he wrote six symphonies and a
Messe Solennelle which won him the patronage of Canon du Harlez. Through the canon's fmancial help Grétry was able to study music in Rome (1759-67), although he had to journey by foot from Belgium to Italy. After spending a year at Geneva teaching, Grétry arrived in París in 1768. His first months were filled with failures and hardship, but after he secured the patronage of Count Creutz, the Swedish ambassador, he made a huge success with his comic opera,
Le Huron, and popularity followed every one of his succeeding 50 operas. Among them were
Le tableau parlant (1769),
La caravane du Claire (1783), and
Richard Coeur de Lian (1784). Much of Grétry's unbroken success depended on his superficial melodic charm, but his music had no solid harmonic or orchestral foundation.
