François Couperin
François Couperin (1668–1733) was a French Baroque composer, organist and harpsichordist, known as Couperin le Grand. Organist to Louis XIV and to Saint-Gervais in Paris, he remains the supreme French master of the harpsichord.
His four books of Pièces de clavecin (1713–1730) gather more than two hundred pieces into ordres—suites of dances and character pieces with picturesque titles, carefully marked ornament and adventurous harmony. The treatise L’art de toucher le clavecin (1716) still shapes how players approach touch, fingering and style.
Chamber music such as the Concerts royaux and the goûts-réunis concerts joins French and Italian manners; early organ masses and later chamber works round out a catalogue that continues to define French Baroque keyboard and chamber programmes.
On Move his music appears across Australian early-music recordings, from courtly chamber programmes such as The Bedroom of the King (MD 3184) and Venice to Versailles (MD 3260) to solo harpsichord and organ repertoire on discs including Fandango (MD 3078), The Pleyel Harpsichord (MD 3428) and The Rieger at Scots’ (MD 3244).
François Couperin is featured on the following titles
Golden Sounds
Ian King returns to the studio to enthral us once more with the golden sounds of his tuba, in arrangements of Falla, Corelli, Rimsky-Korsakov, Debussy, Ravel, Gershwin and more.
The Bedroom of the King (La Chambre du Roi)
Elysium Ensemble bring French chamber music of the early 18th century into the private apartments of Louis XIV: Couperin and Hotteterre in the douceur of Versailles and the Paris salons.
Compositions by François Couperin also appear on
The Pleyel Harpsichord
Roger Heagney plays one of the last harpsichords made by the French Pleyel piano company (1963). Founded in 1807, Pleyel built pianos until 2014. The Concert Grand Harpsichord offers a distinctive sound and seven-pedal colour.
Masters of Baroque
Trio Polyphonica was active between 1980 and 1990, with a repertoire spanning more than three centuries. This programme presents Baroque chamber works by Frescobaldi, Hellendaal, Couperin, Leclair, Rameau and Corelli.
More Bizarre or baRock
"The hottest, hippest harpsichord in the world today," said one critic of the best-selling Bizarre or baRock. Melbourne harpsichordist Elizabeth Anderson returns with the long-awaited sequel.
Anna Magdalena Bach's Book
Harpsichordist Elizabeth Anderson and boy soprano Jacob Lawrence present the complete musical contents of the 1725 notebook of Anna Magdalena Bach, from the beloved Bist du bei mir to suites, chorales and the aria later known from the Goldberg Variations.
Venice to Versailles
Venice and Versailles stand for the two dominant Baroque styles in Europe: Venice for the robust, joyous exuberance and barocco character of the Italian manner, and Versailles for the refinement, delicacy, elegance and douceur of the French.
The Rieger at Scots'
So just what does one play to demonstrate the resources of a large, beautifully voiced new organ? Douglas Lawrence sets out the wide tonal palette of the Rieger at The Scots' Church, Melbourne, completed in 1999.
Breath of Creation
Flutes of two worlds. On shakuhachi, baroque flute and recorder, two performers renowned in their own fields join forces in a display of virtuosic delights and evocative sound-scapes.
Fandango
Flamboyant Spanish and French Baroque keyboard music from harpsichordist Elizabeth Anderson, joined by Douglas Lawrence on chamber organ for Soler’s two-keyboard concerto and Couperin’s musettes.
Exquisite Harmonies
Exquisite Harmonies features works for viola da gamba and harpsichord, and several harpsichord solos, largely from the French Baroque. The exceptions are Telemann, Abel and Australian composer Troy Russell. A nice treat is an improvised harpsichord fantasia in the style of Telemann.