François Couperin
François Couperin was the most important member of the illustrious Couperin family and was one of the leading composers of the French Baroque era. He is best known for his harpsichord works, all of which are found in the collection of more than 220 pieces entitled Pièces de clavecin, consisting of four books. His music showed the influence of Lully and incorporated elements from the Italian school. Indeed, both these sources would be acknowledged by Couperin himself in two chamber works, Apothéose de Corelli (1724) and Apothéose de Lully (1725). Moreover, he successfully integrated the French and Italian styles in his Les goût réunis ou nouveaux concerts (1724), a collection of chamber compositions for unspecified instruments. Many of his works were lost to posterity, as none of his original manuscripts have survived.
Couperin was born in Paris on November 10, 1668. His father, Charles, was an organist, and young François' early musical training probably came from him. An only child, François and his mother were reasonably well-cared for following Charles' death (probably in 1679), in part because of the kindness of Jacques Thomelin, organist at Saint-Jacques de la Boucherie, who looked after the young boy and instructed him in music.
Couperin became the organist at Saint-Gervais at age 17. In 1689, four years later, he married Marie-Anne Ansault, daughter of a wine merchant who had many relatives in other business endeavors. The following year, he published his so-called "organ masses," known as Pièces d'orgue, comprising two masses (Messe des Paroisses and Messe des Couvents) and several smaller pieces.
It was around this time that the composer came under the sway of the Italian school. He would display this influence in several chamber works he wrote in 1692 that he called sonades, a name that is a Gallic version of "sonata."
On December 26, 1693, Couperin was appointed organist at the Royal Chapel by King Louis XIV, sharing the post with Buterne, Nivers, and Lebègue, and performing his duties only in the first quarter of each year. He maintained his position at Saint-Gervais for the other nine months. He also taught the Duke of Burgundy harpsichord and six other princes and princesses. The composer would later write an important treatise on playing the harpsichord entitled, L'Art de toucher le clavecin.
Couperin wrote a fair amount of sacred non-liturgical vocal music for the Royal Chapel. Beginning around 1697, he wrote a series of motets, completed in 1702. They include Motet Saint-Barthélemy, Motet de Sainte-Anne, and Motet de Saint-Augustin.
In the early part of the 18th century, Couperin began composing a large number of works for the harpsichord, which would appear in the Premier Livre from the Pièces de clavecin in 1713. The Second Book was published in 1717, and the final two came in 1722 and 1730.
There is evidence that Couperin also found time for concerts in the early part of the 18th century in Versailles and other nearby locales. Actually, relatively little is known about Couperin's life from about 1700 onward. There is a record of his renting a country home in 1710 at Saint-Germain-en-Laye, confirming the view he was financially secure. In 1719, Couperin became harpsichordist to King Louis XV, a position he'd probably held in all but title for a number of years. By this time, he was recognized as the leading composer in France and the greatest exponent of organ and harpsichord teaching as well. Couperin died on September 11, 1733.
© Robert Cummings /TiVo
Discography
21 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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François Couperin : Pièces de violes (1728)
Classical - Released by Alia Vox on Mar 4, 1988
24-Bit 88.2 kHz - Stereo -
François Couperin : Pièces de clavecin
Classical - Released by Passacaille on Mar 31, 2016
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
François Couperin: Pièces de Clavecin à deux violes
Myrna Herzog, Giomar Sthel, Ensemble Phoenix
Classical - Released by Tratore on May 22, 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
François Couperin - Antonio Vivaldi - Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach - Johann Sebastian Bach
Classical - Released by RHI on Jan 1, 1974
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gustav Leonhardt - A Portrait
Gustav Leonhardt, Henry Purcell, François Couperin
Classical - Released by UME - Global Clearing House on Sep 2, 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Fr. Couperin: Les folies françoises - Debussy: 12 Préludes, 2e livre - Messiaen: Le courlis cendré
Classical - Released by Claves Records on Feb 15, 2008
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
François Couperin : Concerts Royaux
Classical - Released by Analekta on Feb 12, 2013
24-Bit 88.2 kHz - Stereo -
Lully - Couperin - Corrette: French Baroque Masterpieces
Classical - Released by Int - Bertus on Oct 4, 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Couperin: Book 4, 25th Ordre
Classical - Released by VDE-GALLO on Apr 14, 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Trio Concertant
Dennis James, Annabelle Hoffman, Paul Meyers
Classical - Released by GM Recordings on Jan 1, 1991
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
La Muse et La Mise (En concert) (Live)
Classical - Released by Antarctica Records on May 6, 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Cantates et Petits Macarons
Stefan Plewniak, Natalia Kawalek
Classical - Released by Ëvoe Music on Sep 11, 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Les Barricades Mystérieuses (arr. Jürg Kindle)
François Couperin, Jurg Kindle
Classical - Released by Modern Classical X on Feb 2, 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Couperin: Trois suites pour clavecin (3 Suites for Harpsichord)
Classical - Released by VDE-GALLO on Jun 19, 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Maastricht, Netherlands (O.L.V. Baseliek)
Classical - Released by P4Y JQZ on Apr 15, 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Túmulo Canoro
Classical - Released by Arsis Aclass on Dec 2, 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
François Couperin: Messe pour les Couvents
Classical - Released by CDklassisk on Jan 5, 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Les Grâces Françoises: Music of the French Baroque
Classical - Released by MSR Classics on Dec 11, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Classical Church Organ, Volume 9
Classical - Released by P4Y JQZ on Apr 15, 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Couperin: Messe pour les Paroisses
Classical - Released by Danacord Records on Jan 1, 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Couperin: Majestie
Classical - Released by Magnatune on Jan 2, 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo