Plantade began his musical training in singing and the cello at the age of eight when he entered the school for pages in the Musique du roi, the King's personal troupe of musicians.

[3][4] On completing his studies Plantade became a singing teacher and began publishing collections of romances which brought him to the attention of a wider public.

His early success led to his appointment as singing master at Henriette Campan's newly established school for girls at Saint-Germain-en-Laye.

From 1812 to 1815 he served as the singing master and stage director of the Paris Opéra, and in 1816 he succeeded Persuis as maître de chapelle to Louis XVIII.

He also composed Scène lyrique imitée d'Ossian, a cantata based on the Ossian poems, which was performed at the Paris Opéra in 1814 to mark the restoration of Louis XVIII as King of France.

[5][9] Plantade's sacred music included five masses, a Te Deum and Salve Regina, several motets and a Requiem performed in 1823 to mark the 30th anniversary of Marie-Antoinette's death.