Background
Le Roy was born in the town of Montreuil-sur-Mer in northern France to a wealthy family.
composer printer publisher luth player
Le Roy was born in the town of Montreuil-sur-Mer in northern France to a wealthy family.
Very little is actually known about his formative years but he was probably a chorister and studied the lute, guitar and cittern with various teachers.
In February 1553, the company was awarded the title of "imprimeur du Roi en musique" (previously held by Pierre Attaignant). This office, which was renewed by successive monarchs, gave the company legal protection against competitors and commercially valuable prestige. Royal patronage was a major factor in the company"s success since it ensured both a ready supply of new music from the court musicians and a market for its publications.
Over the following two decades other rival companies dropped out of the market and from the 1570s onwards Le Roy & Ballard enjoyed a virtual monopoly in music publishing.
The publishing house lasted to the 19th century. While Robert Ballard looked after the business side, Le Roy was the artistic director
Le Roy also helped to ensure the success of composer Orlande de Lassus, introducing him to court and publishing his music Le Roy"s book L"instruction pour la mandore gives modern historians hints as to the instruments origins and design.
Although lost now, Pierre Trichet commented on things he read in Le Roy"s book that tell us the instrument came to France by way of Navarre and Biscay.
Trichet also lets us know that Le Roy, the author of a mandore method book did own the instrument which he wrote about. Le Roy died in Paris in 1598.