Biography
The French composer and lutenist Nicolas Vallet (ca. 1553 – 1626) was a Huguenot and was persecuted because of his belief. He avoided political problems in France after the St. Bartholomew Day in 1572, seeking refuge in Amsterdam, an imposing metropole in those days. There he established a dancing school and formed an ensemble that played at weddings and other festivities. Unfortunately, his business was not always successful, causing him to lose all his possessions including his clothing. Fortunately for him this mishap was not structural, later on the financial tide turned for the better.
In Amsterdam, Vallet published amongst others Le Secret des Muses in 1613, an interesting collection that provides a good impression of the lute culture in the Low Countries. The collection includes arrangements of popular songs, religious hymns and various dance forms.