BEGINNING life in a very humble way, Lully was one of the comparatively few musicians who amassed considerable fortune. His career reads like a romance, from the day when he was picked up at about the ago of ten by the Chevalier do Guise for his niece, Mdlle de Montpensier who had asked for 'a pretty little Italian ' to teach her the language. His playing of the violin soon attracted the notice of influential people, and he rose from one post of distinction to another until he had the whole of musical France very securely under his sway. He was an astute courtier, knowing well how to make his way among the intrigues of the Palace, and enjoyed the favour of his King to a degree which has seldom-been equalled in the history of music. But the manner of his death was as unlucky as the rest of his career had been fortunate. Conducting, in the Royal presence, one day, he struck his foot with the baton and the trifling injury, in the hands of an incompetent surgeon, grew so serious as to prove fatal soon afterwards.
Although this beautiful song, a typical example of his gracious and dignified style, is so often sung, it is clearly one of those evergreen favourites which no repetition can stale.

Sombre Woods - Lully, art. A. L.
I triumph, I triumph - Carissimi