The "symbolism" can be found in Olivier Bernier's biography of Louis
XIV. At the time he struck his foot, Lully was conducting a Te Deum
written to celebrate Louis' recovery from a serious illness. The
doctors had so botched the job on the king, which involved surgery
(without anesthetic of course), that Lully wanted them no where near
him. Even when gangrene set in.
Peter Danner
On Mar 16, 2011, at 3:07 AM, A. J. Ness wrote:
I was referring to that tale told in U.S. music appreciation classes
about Lully's death. But perhaps it is true. I decided to check
with
Nicolas Slonimsky (Baker's Biographical Dictionary):
[Lully's] death resulted from a symbolic accident: while
conducting, he
vehemently struck his foot with a sharp-pointed cane used to pound
out the beat; gangrene set in and he died of blood poisoning.
What is a "symbolic accident"?
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