François-André Danican Philidor

Lore & Background

Philidor came from the musical Philidor family. His great-grandfather was given the nickname Philidor by Louis XIII. Philidor was the son of Andre Philidor, a bassoon-player at the court of Louis XIV. His mother was Anne Elisabeth Leroy, described as unsophisticated and simple, about 40 years younger than her husband.

Music career

He had four sisters and a half-brother. He joined the royal choir of Louis XV in 1732 at age 6, and made his first attempt at composition of a song at age 11. It was said that Louis XV wanted to listen to the choir almost every day, and the singers played chess while waiting for the king, which may have begun Philidor's interest in chess.

Starting about 1740, he lived and worked in Paris as a performer, teacher and music copyist. He was the teacher of Ludwig Wenzel Lachnith. During this time he met Diderot, who termed him 'Philidor le subtil' in Rameau's Nephew. In 1745 he accompanied a harpsichord prodigy on a concert tour of the Netherlands; the tour failed when the harpsichordist died.

He then travelled to London in 1747. He returned to Paris in 1754, resolving to devote himself seriously to musical composition. He scored several triumphs at the fair theatres, starting with Blaise le savetier in 1759. His three most successful works were Le sorcier (1764), Tom Jones (1765), and Ernelinde, princesse de Norvège (1767).

He produced more than 20 opéra comiques and two tragédies lyriques. He also wrote secular cantatas and motets, and music for masonic rituals. He was a member of the Parisian lodge Les Neuf Sœurs. Philidor started playing chess regularly about 1740 at the Café de la Régence, where he played with Benjamin Franklin.

Chess career

Legall de Kermeur taught him; in three years Philidor equaled and surpassed him. He visited England in 1747 and beat Philipp Stamma in a match, letting Stamma have the first move and scoring all draws as wins for Stamma. He played many games with Sir Abraham Janssen, then the best player in England.

In 1755, a match between Philidor and Legall placed the crown firmly upon Philidor. In 1771 and 1773 he stayed in London to play at the Salopian coffee house and St. James's Chess Club. In 1774, Parloe's chess club was created, and Philidor obtained remuneration as a chess master for a regular season from February to June. He encountered George Atwood there.

Reader's Guide

Philidor is best known for his book Analyse du jeu des Échecs, which was a standard chess manual for at least a century. He contributed to the early development of the opéra comique. His chess legacy includes openings, endgame positions, and a checkmate method named after him. He was the best player in the world for 50 years, according to Andrew Soltis.

Did You Know?

• Philidor's great-grandfather was given the nickname Philidor by Louis XIII because his oboe playing reminded the king of an Italian oboist named Filidori.