Jean‐Philippe Rameau

Jean-Philippe Rameau was a French composer and music theorist of the Baroque era, born in Dijon in 1683. He spent much of his career in Paris, where he became one of the leading figures in French opera and harpsichord music. Rameau’s theoretical writings, especially the Traité de l’harmonie, laid foundations for modern tonal harmony. His operas, including Hippolyte et Aricie and Les Indes galantes, combined dramatic intensity with innovative orchestration. He also composed numerous harpsichord suites and chamber works that remain central to the Baroque repertoire.