Jean-Benjamin de La Borde

Jean-Benjamin François de la Borde (5 September 1734 – 22 July 1794) was a French composer, writer on music and fermier général (farm tax collector).

From 1762 to 1774, he served at the court of Louis XV as premier valet de la chambre, losing his post on the death of the king.

He wrote many operas, mostly comic, and a four-volume collection of songs for solo voice, Choix de chansons mises en musique illustrated by Jean-Michel Moreau.

Many of the songs from the collection were later published individually through the efforts of the English folksong collector Lucy Etheldred Broadwood.

[1][2] La Borde's role at court is embellished in a fictional book series about police commissioner "Nicolas Le Floch" by Jean-François Parot.