Gossec's music was a moving force in the musical culture of France for nearly seventy five years. As a young boy he demonstrated a remarkable voice entering studies at the age of six, and becoming a chorister in Notre Dame Cathedral in Antwerp at the age of eight. He went to Paris and studied with Rameau, met Stametz and became familiar, through him, with the Mannheim school. By the age of twenty he began composing comic operas. Some met with success but this was not his medium even though he pursued it for approximately fourteen years. (He had bad librettos among other musical maladies.) Gossec, nevertheless, contiued to compose orchestral music including duets, concertos, quartets, sextets, and symphonies. He founded the "Concert de Amateurs" and conducted many performances bringing the orchestra to the front of European excellence. One of Haydn's symphonies was first performed in France under the direction of Gossec. Opera, however, was still a calling for Gossec who continued trying his hand, this time at serious opera. Finally he bowed out of this genre though not entirely. Gluck was dominating the scene of serious opera in France and Gossec supported him against the rival Piccini even composing some of the incidental music for some of Gluck's works. With the opera Gossec became a sous-directeur and directeur; when the Ecole Royale de Chant was founded as part of the Academy Royale (opera) Gossec was appointed its director (1784) until the outbreak of the Revolution. Ballets were composed by Gossec and performed at the opera with some success. By the outbreak of the Revolution, Gossec turned his attentions to music lauding the Republic. Napoleon's ascension eventually brought Gossec's music to a halt though he did compose two more symphonies. He also wrote important musical treatises dealing with singing methods, harmony and counterpoint. A terribly prolific composer, Gossec's early music demonstrated an Italian affinity but the symphonies, with the influence of the Mannheim school, illustrate German influences. Though his climactic musical gifts may not have been profound his influence brought facile responses to productions of his works. The levels on which Gossec functioned were unusual as he worked in many fronts including orchestral musician, conductor, patron, organizer, director, composer, and professor at the Conservatoire. ~ Keith Johnson, Rovi