Guerre des Bouffons, La. A battle of words waged in Paris in 1752-4 over the respective merits and demerits of Italian and French music, particularly opera. Although not a new issue, it was ignited in August 1752 with the performance of Pergolesi's comic intermezzo La serva padrona by a visiting Italian opera buffa troupe. The debate intensified in January 1753 with the performance of Mondonville's heroic pastorale Titon et l'aurore, and over 30 pamphlets and letters were written in a period of nine months. The philosophes were heavily involved, with Grimm, Holbach, Diderot, and Rousseau all contributing personally. The articles on music in the Encyclopédie provided much of the ground material, and the two most important pamphlets were Grimm's Le Petit Prophéte de Bœhmischbroda (January 1753, unsigned) and Rousseau's Lettre sur la musique française (November 1753). The quarrel was artificially inflamed by the enthusiasm of many of the contributors for a debate of any sort. It ended in 1754 with the successful revival of Rameau's Castor et Pollux and Platée, and the consequent departure of the Italians. While the debate did not result in the adoption of Italian opera by the nationalistic French, the Guerre probably hastened the rapid changes that took place in French music shortly afterwards.
[Kerry Murphy]
