1st Edition

Disinformation in Mass Media Gluck, Piccinni and the Journal de Paris

By Beverly Jerold Copyright 2021
    144 Pages 9 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    144 Pages 9 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    The founding in 1777 of the Journal de Paris, France’s first daily and distinctly commercial paper, represents an early use of disinformation as a tool for political gain, profit, and societal division. To attract a large readership and bar competition for C.W. Gluck’s works at the Paris Opéra, it launched a prolonged campaign of anonymous lies, mockery, and defamation against two prominent members of the Académie Française who wished the Opéra to be open to all deserving composers but lacked a comparable daily forum with which to defend themselves. In this unique episode, music served as a smokescreen for nefarious activity. No musical knowledge is necessary to follow this purely political drama.

     

    References

    Introduction

    1: The Cast and Setting

    A New Print Medium

    The Major Figures

    The 1781 Reprint of Gluckist Texts

    Journalism at the New Paper

    The Activities of Gluck’s Associate

    Events Before 1777

    Recitative and Air

    Gluck’s Directing Skills

    Berlioz on Gluck’s Scores

    2:  Arnaud’s Correspondence to Italy

    3: The Journal de Paris on the Offensive

    Ridicule of Marmontel

    A Snare for La Harpe

    Marmontel’s Essai

    The Essai Misrepresented

    Informed Commentaries on the Essai

    An Independent Assessment

    4: Libel of La Harpe by Allusion

    The Risk of Serious Criticism

    The Lettre par DAVID *** son Ami

    A Vindictive Matter from the Past

    5: The Armide Episode

    The JPL Review of Armide

    The JP’s Campaign of Disinformation

    Another Assessment

    6: Piccinni’s Opera and Further Events

    Piccinni’s Roland

    The Mélophile

    Journalists under Siege

    Discord Fomented

    The Club of Hercules

    7: Disinterested Observers

    Johann Nicolaus Forkel

    François-Louis d’Escherny

    Later Opinion from Paris

    8: Profit and Power

    The Motives

    Gluck’s Financial Acumen

    Summation

    Timeline of Major Events

    Biography

    Beverly Jerold is a writer and practicing musician based in New Jersey, USA.