Jean Boyer (composer)

Jean Boyer (born before 1600 – died 1648) was a French viol player and composer, active in Paris during the first half of the 17th century.

The dedication of his books of arias published in 1619 and 1621 shows that he probably worked for Henri I, Duke of Nemours (1572–1632), who was the usual ordonnator of the king's ballets, and who might have introduced him to the court in a more active manner than his cantor's office permitted him.

Henry of Savoy-Nemours having died in the meantime, Boyer seems to have attached himself to the house of Gaston d’Orléans, brother of the king.

At the time of his marriage,[8] his music books included secular and spiritual works by Claude Le Jeune, lute tablatures, tunes and songs, secular songs by Roland de Lassus or their spiritual parodies, and Italian madrigals.

In 2019 lutenist Floris Derycker and his ensemble Ratas del Viejo Mundo dedicated an entire CD to the "Chansons à boire" and "Airs de cour" of Jean Boyer.