Little is known about the French harpist and composer Marie-Elizabeth Cléry (c.1761-after 1795). She may have been the 15-year-old Mlle Duv (maiden name) whose air “Tout ce que je vois me rappelle” was published in 1776 in the Mercure de France. The records of the Concert Spirituel indicate that she sang and played the harp there from 1780-82, and at times performed her own works. She published three harp sonatas with violin accompaniments after her marriage to Jean-Baptiste Cant-Hanet dit Cléry. Jean-Baptiste was the famous valet de chambre assigned to Louis XVI while he was imprisoned during the French Revolution. Marie-Elizabeth may have gone to Austria with her husband in 1795 when he entered the service of Louis XVI’s daughter, Marie-Thérèse-Charlotte. Nothing is known about her after this time.
Resources
Sources
Jackson, Barbara Garvey. “Cléry [née Duverger; Duvergé], Marie-Elizabeth.” Grove Music Online. 2001.
Works Featured on Expanding the Music Theory Canon
Pastorale from Sonata 1
Full Score
Page: Ternary
Minuetto from Sonata 2
Full Score
Page: Ternary
Allegro Moderato from Sonata I
Full Score
Page: Sonata