Page 85 - (DK) The Classical Music Book - Big Ideas Simply Explained

BAROQUE 1600–1750 83

See also: Micrologus 24–25 ■ Scarlatti’s Sonata in D minor 90–91 ■
Musique de table 106 ■ Clementi’s Piano Sonata in F-sharp minor 132–133

later generations. His style was a complete course, but advice for
not to everyone’s taste—while J.S. the player on body postures and
Bach arranged some of Couperin’s technical issues. It included a
works, he is said to have found series of eight preludes for study
them overly fussy. and fingerings for some of
Such reliance on ornamentation Couperin’s published pieces.
tends to mean that Couperin’s Particularly forward-looking
music translates less well onto the are his suggestions that children
modern piano, which, with its fuller should master a few pieces before
and more sustained sound, makes learning to read music and that
the decoration too prominent. This, practice should be supervised. François Couperin
coupled with his dislike of overt These ideas anticipated some
virtuosity and harmonic daring modern approaches to music Even within the dynasty of
(such as sudden key changes or education, such as the Suzuki great musicians into which
clashing notes), may explain why method in the mid-20th century. ■ he was born in 1668, François
his music has been eclipsed by Couperin was extraordinary.
Scarlatti’s in the concert hall. Appointed on the death of
Although not the first treatise on A young girl learns to play the his father, Charles, to take
keyboard playing, Couperin’s L’art harpsichord in The Music Lesson over the role of organist at
by Jean-Honoré Fragonard. François
de toucher le clavecin was one of Couperin taught music to Louis XIV’s St. Gervais Church in Paris
the most important, offering not children at Versailles. at the tender age of 11, he
went on to become one
of the most sought-after
performers and teachers in
France. In 1693, Couperin
was appointed by Louis XIV
as organist at the Royal
Chapel. He became court
harpsichordist to Louis XV in
1717 and composed works for
the royal family. He died in
Paris in 1733.
Couperin’s series of
Ordres for keyboard are
considered some of the most
significant contributions to
Baroque harpsichord music.
Players of the instrument
today still study L’art de
toucher le clavecin in order
to inform their performances.

Other key works

1713–1730 24 Ordres (in
four books)
1714–1715 Les concerts
royaux (The Royal Concerts)
1724–1725 Apothéoses

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