November 7, 2016. Couperin le Grand. François Couperin, one of the most important French composers of the end of the 17th – early 18th century, was born on November 10th of 1668. He’s one of the three great composers who defined the French Baroque, born 32 years after Jean-Baptiste Lully and 15 years ahead of Jean-Philippe Rameau. Couperin came from a famous musical family: his uncle, Louis Couperin, was a noted composer and the organist at the church of St-Gervais in central Paris. After Louis’s death, François’s father Charles assumed the post. François’s father died in in 1679; the young François was so promising and obviously talented that the church agreed to hire him as the organist on his 18th birthday. In the interim, François played there often and was practically a full-time organist at St-Gervais even before his official appointment. At the age of 20 François married a girl from a wealthy bourgeois family; her connections helped him to acquire the royal privilege to print and sell his music. A year later Couperin published a collection of organ works, but it was his fame as an organist that brought him to the attention of the court. In 1693, at the age of 25, he received a fabulous appointment as the organist to the court of Louis XIV. Around that time, he wrote a set of trio sonatas, which were later incorporated into a larger selection published under the title of Les nations. The sonatas were clearly modelled after asimilar set of trio sonatas by Arcangelo Corelli, who was Couperin’s favorite composer. As Couperin himself related later on in a preface to the publication, he indulged in a bit of subterfuge in order to promote his work. Knowing that the French were still enamored with all things Italian while looking down at local composers, he concocted a story about an Italian origin of the first sonata. He even made up an Italianate name of the “composer” by rearranging letters of his own name. The sonata was received very favorably, which encouraged Couperin to continue composing.
In addition to the position of the Royal organist, Couperin was appointed the harpsichordist to the court. He also continued to work at the church of St-Gervais. He had many students, most from noble families. And still he found time to compose. In 1713 he published the first book of harpsichord pieces; eventually he would publish three more. In 1715 Louis XIV died and was succeed by the regency, as Louis XV, the future king, was too young to rule. Couperin retained his position at the court and continued with all his commitments and composing. By his contemporaries he was considered probably the greatest composer of his generation, and clearly the best composer for the harpsichord. Couperin became less productive in the last years of his life as his health was failing him. He died on September 11th of 1733. Couperin wrote in many genres: instrumental chamber music, music for the organ, some vocal music, but he excelled above all at composing for the harpsichord.
<Couperin inspired many composers, none more than Richard Strauss, who wrote not one but two symphonic pieces after Couperin’s harpsichord pieces. Let’s listen to several of the originals and then the Divertimento by Richard Strauss. First, the three pieces by Couperin: La Visionnaire, performed by Blandine Rannou, Musétes de Choisi et de Taverni, performed by Lionel Party, and Le tic-toc-choc, ou Les maillotins, played by Jory Vinocur. And here’s how Strauss adapted them for the orchestra. The Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra is conducted by Hirogi Wakasugi.
Couperin 2016
November 7, 2016. Couperin le Grand. François Couperin, one of the most important French composers of the end of the 17th – early 18th century, was born on November 10th of 1668. He’s one of the three
great composers who defined the French Baroque, born 32 years after Jean-Baptiste Lully and 15 years ahead of Jean-Philippe Rameau. Couperin came from a famous musical family: his uncle, Louis Couperin, was a noted composer and the organist at the church of St-Gervais in central Paris. After Louis’s death, François’s father Charles assumed the post. François’s father died in in 1679; the young François was so promising and obviously talented that the church agreed to hire him as the organist on his 18th birthday. In the interim, François played there often and was practically a full-time organist at St-Gervais even before his official appointment. At the age of 20 François married a girl from a wealthy bourgeois family; her connections helped him to acquire the royal privilege to print and sell his music. A year later Couperin published a collection of organ works, but it was his fame as an organist that brought him to the attention of the court. In 1693, at the age of 25, he received a fabulous appointment as the organist to the court of Louis XIV. Around that time, he wrote a set of trio sonatas, which were later incorporated into a larger selection published under the title of Les nations. The sonatas were clearly modelled after asimilar set of trio sonatas by Arcangelo Corelli, who was Couperin’s favorite composer. As Couperin himself related later on in a preface to the publication, he indulged in a bit of subterfuge in order to promote his work. Knowing that the French were still enamored with all things Italian while looking down at local composers, he concocted a story about an Italian origin of the first sonata. He even made up an Italianate name of the “composer” by rearranging letters of his own name. The sonata was received very favorably, which encouraged Couperin to continue composing.
In addition to the position of the Royal organist, Couperin was appointed the harpsichordist to the court. He also continued to work at the church of St-Gervais. He had many students, most from noble families. And still he found time to compose. In 1713 he published the first book of harpsichord pieces; eventually he would publish three more. In 1715 Louis XIV died and was succeed by the regency, as Louis XV, the future king, was too young to rule. Couperin retained his position at the court and continued with all his commitments and composing. By his contemporaries he was considered probably the greatest composer of his generation, and clearly the best composer for the harpsichord. Couperin became less productive in the last years of his life as his health was failing him. He died on September 11th of 1733. Couperin wrote in many genres: instrumental chamber music, music for the organ, some vocal music, but he excelled above all at composing for the harpsichord.
<Couperin inspired many composers, none more than Richard Strauss, who wrote not one but two symphonic pieces after Couperin’s harpsichord pieces. Let’s listen to several of the originals and then the Divertimento by Richard Strauss. First, the three pieces by Couperin: La Visionnaire, performed by Blandine Rannou, Musétes de Choisi et de Taverni, performed by Lionel Party, and Le tic-toc-choc, ou Les maillotins, played by Jory Vinocur. And here’s how Strauss adapted them for the orchestra. The Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra is conducted by Hirogi Wakasugi.