During the next three centuries that followed,
German and Italians dominated the music scene. However, important
compositions for operas and baroque harpsichord music were
created by Frenchmen. The opera was the leading musical form
during the 17th century and the French had their unique opera
style, combining it with ballet. This made it distinctly different
from the Italian-style operas.
The Baroque period was also significant in
French musical history, when harpsichord music was at its
peak. It differed greatly from German harpsichord music, in
that it was made up of shorter and more concise dance movements
and character pieces.
The Revolution and subsequent Napoleonic wars
did little to encourage the activity and creativity of musicians
and artist in general. Paris became a center for musicians
from other countries. During this time the Paris Conservatory
and the national Opera were established. In general, the works
of foreign-born opera composers (such as Gluck, Cherubini,
Grétry, Meyerbeer, and Offenbach) prospered, while
the quality of French composers did little to stand out. This
improved with time and by the late 19th century French names
began getting credit for their compositions. Some of these
included Jacques Halévy Georges Bizet, Charles Gounod,
Jules Massenet, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Gabriel Faure
and Henri Duparc, among others.
