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Couperin - Piano Music

Generally considered the most important member of the famous Couperin family, and the most important musical figure in France between Lully and Rameau, Francois Couperin (1668-1733) has been known as "Couperin le Grand". His popularity rests mainly on his four published volumes of harpsichord works, containing over 230 pieces. Most have picturesque or descriptive titles.
Couperin was taught by his father Charles and by Jacques Thomelin, whom he succeeded as organist of the Royal chapel. In 1719, Couperin became harpsichordist to King Louis XV, for whom he gave weekly chamber concerts. Couperin was greatly influenced by Corelli and introduced into France the Italian master´s trio-sonata form.
Couperin strove to integrate both the French and Italian styles in his music, an ambition which is reflected in the title of one of his chamber music works, "Les Goûts-Réunis" (The Tastes Brought Together) His influential book "L´Art de toucher le clavecin" (The Art of Playing the Harpsichord) contains extremely careful and detailed performing instructions regarding fingering, methods of touch, and execution of ornamentation. At the time of his death Couperin was recognised as the leading composer and keyboard player in France. Many of his works were lost to posterity, as none of his original manuscripts has survived. The first complete edition of Couperin´s harpsichord music was prepared by Brahms and Chrysander in 1871-88. Ravel composed a 20th century tribute to him in Le tombeau de Couperin, and Richard Strauss orchestrated several of his works.

Notable works:
Chamber Music: Quatre Concerts Royaux (1722)
Les Goûts-Réunis ou Nouveaux Concerts (10 concerts including the "Corelli" Grand Trio, 1724)
Les Nations (4 Ordres for 2 strings and harpsichord, 1726)
Concert instrumental ("In Memory of the Immortal Lully", 1725).
Harpsichord: Piéces de Clavecin, Book 1 (5 Ordres, 1713), Book 2 (7
Ordres, 1717), Book 3 (7 Ordres, 1722), Book 4 (8 Ordres, 1730).
Organ: 42 Piéces d´orgue consistantes en deux Messes (1690).

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Total pieces by Couperin: 36

Title	Key	Published	Type	Level
Ordre no 1	G Minor	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 2	D Minor	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 3	C Minor	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 4	F Major	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 5	A Major	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 6	B-flat Major	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 7	G Major	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 8	B Minor	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 9	A Major	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 10	D Major	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 11	C Minor	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 12	E Major	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 13	B Minor	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 14	D Major	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 15	A Minor	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 16	G Major	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 17	E Minor	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 18	F Minor	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 19	D Minor	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 20	G Major	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 21	E Minor	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 22	D Major	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 23	F Major	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 24	A Minor	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 25	E-flat Major	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 26	F-sharp Minor	-	Suite	8
Ordre no 27	B Minor	-	Suite	8
L'Art de toucher le Clavecin Couperin published a theoretical treatise on harpsichord playing, L’Art de toucher le clavecin, in two editions in 1716 and 1717. In the treatise, he also included some instructional pieces: one allemande and a series of eight preludes. The quasi-improvisatory pieces are intended as preparatory tools or warm-up exercises for Couperin’s other music, but are also musical gems in their own right, of a quality quite comparable with the preludes of Bach.
Allemande	D Minor	-	Piece	5
First Prelude no 1	C Major	-	Piece	5
Second Prelude no 2	D Minor	-	Piece	6
Third Prelude no 3	G Minor	-	Piece	5
Fourth Prelude no 4	F Major	-	Piece	6
Fifth Prelude no 5	A Major	-	Piece	6
Sixth Prelude no 6	B Minor	-	Piece	5
Seventh Prelude no 7	B-flat Major	-	Piece	6
Eighth Prelude no 8	E Minor	-	Piece	6