A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Grabu, Lewis

GRABU, Lewis, or Louis Grabut, or sometimes Grebus, a French musician, who came to England about 1666, and finding favour with Charles II., whose predilection for everything French was unbounded, was assigned a prominent place in the direction of the Court music, to the great chagrin of John Banister, then 'Master of the Music.' Upon Oct. 1, 1667, he produced at Court an 'English Song upon Peace,' which Pepys, who heard it, criticised very unfavourably, although admitting, at the same time, that 'the instrumental musick he had brought by practice to play very just.' His incapacity both as performer and composer were commented upon by Pelham Humfrey (Pepys, Nov. 15, 1667). His opera, 'Ariadne, or, The Marriage of Bacchus,' originally composed to French text, was produced at Drury Lane, adapted to English words, in 1674. He was selected to compose the music for Dryden's opera, 'Albion and Albanius,' produced at Dorset Garden, June 6, 1685, at great expense, but performed for six nights only. It has been asserted that its failure was occasioned by the Duke of Monmouth's rebellion, the news of which reached London on the last day it was played: the real causes however were the innate worthlessness of both drama and music. Both were published, and readers may therefore judge for themselves. Dryden, in his preface to the piece bestowed some extravagant encomiums upon Grabu, extolling him above all English composers, but a few years later changed his tone and awarded the palm to Purcell. A satirical song upon the piece, ridiculing both author and composer, is contained in Hawkins's History (Novello's edition, 707). It is presumed that Grabu lost his Court appointment at the Revolution, but he seems to have remained in England, as in 1690 he composed the instrumental music for Waller's alteration of Beaumont and Fletcher's 'Maid's Tragedy.' A few songs by him are contained in some of the collections of the period.

[ W. H. H. ]