Nicolas Vallet
Nicolas Vallet was a French lutenist and composer He emigated in the Calvinist United Provinces.
Vallet, a Huguenot, was born at Corbeny, Aisne, but fled around 1613 from France to the Netherland for reason actually unknown. In Amsterdam he worked as a self-supporting musician, lute-teacher, and as the owner of a dance school.
His primary work, Le Secret des Muses, contains compositions and instruction for the 10-course Renaissance lute. It appeared, in two parts, in 1615 and 1616. It was among the last compositions to appear for this instrument, before it was supplanted by the Baroque lute.
He also wrote a Psalms of David and Regia Pietas.
According to Frederick Neumann, Vallet may have been among the first to introduce ornaments into lute tablature.
