Jean Baptiste Lully

Jean-Baptiste de Lully was an Italian-born French composer who spent most of his life working at the court of King Louis XIV. Lully is considered the chief master of the French baroque style of music. He became a French subject in 1661.
Giovanni Battista Lulli was born on November 28, 1632. He had little formal education but learned guitar from a Franciscan friar in Florence. In 1646 he was discovered by Roger de Lorraine, son of Charles, Duke of Guise and taken to France. He was in King Louis XIV’s service by 1652-53, composing ballets and by 1651 he was appointed Superintendent of the Music of the Chamber of the King. He composed many ballets in the 1650’s and 1660’s in which the King and Lully danced. When he met the French playwright and actor Moliére, together they created the comédie-ballet. When the King could no longer dance, Lully began writing operas. He created a position for himself which essentially gave him complete control of all music performed in France until his death from a gangrenous toe on March 22, 1687. King Louis XIV always thought of Lully as a true friend.

An example of the music of Lully: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sy-yugPw_X8