Jacques Gallot

French lutenist and composer Jacques Gallot was known as "le vieux Gallot de Paris" (old Gallot of Paris). He and his brother, Alexandre Gallot ("le vieux Gallot d'Angers") were born in the 1620s, probably sons of lutenist Antoine Gallot who served in the Polish court until 1647. Gallot likely studied with his father and definitely with eminent French lutenist Ennemond Gaultier, to whom Gallot dedicated his Allemande le Bout de l'An de M. Gaultier. Gallot was connected to the French court of Louis XIV, "The Sun King," as he composed several tombeau and other types of tributes to persons belonging to its retinue.
Gallot's music is known from two main sources. The first is his 1684 publication Pieces de Luth Composéés sur differens modes, dedicated to French Vice Admiral Victor-Marie d'Estrées; it appeared late in Gallot's life, but the pieces within likely span a period of some 30 years. The other is a manuscript, located in the Deutsches Musikarchiv in Leipzig, containing numerous pieces ascribed to le "vieux Gallot," and scattered throughout Europe are further manuscripts with attributions to "Gallot" without indication of who within the family was responsible for a given work. Gallot was a pioneer in the French character piece, and in Pieces de Luth Composéés sur differens modes he grouped the pieces by key, suggesting arrangement into suites. Gallot died shortly after 1690, and Robert de Visée composed a tombeau in his memory. ~ Uncle Dave Lewis, All Music Guide