Antoine Forqueray stems from a family of musicians, comparable to (but less famous than) the Couperins. He was educated as a viola a gamba player at the French court, under the protection of Louis XIV. In 1789 he was appointed as royal chamber musician. As a younger contemporary of Marais, he was one of the most famous gamba players of his time, and he also composed Pièces de viole and harpsichord pieces which betray more Italian (Corelli, Vivaldi) influence than French. Many of the harpsichord pieces were arranged by his son Jean-Baptiste (1699-1782) and only published in 1747. Rumor has it that the son reported his father to the Parisian police because of ‘fraud, visiting whores and gambling’ since he was jealous at him with his greater success in the 1720’s.
(Source: Musicalifeiten.nl)
