<html> <head> <base href="http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/cds/era10694.htm"> <title>Fran&ccedil;ois Couperin: Harpsichord Music</title> </head><body> <h2>Fran&ccedil;ois Couperin: Harpsichord Music</h2>  <dl> <dt>Couperin: Premier Livre de pi&egrave;ces de clavecin</dt> <dd>Olivier Baumont<br> <i>Erato MusiFrance 0630-10694</i> (3 CDs)</dd> </dl>  <h3>Contents:</h3> <p><ol> <strong>Premier Ordre</strong><br> <li>Allemande l'Auguste</li> <li>Premi&egrave;re Courante</li> <li>Seconde Courante</li> <li>Sarabande la Majestueuse</li> <li>Gavotte</li> <li>La Milordine, Gigue <i>Gracieusement et l&eacute;g&egrave;rement</i></li> <li>Menuet<br> Double du Menuet pr&eacute;c&eacute;dent</li> <li>Les Silvains <i>Majestue&uuml;sement, sans lenteur</i><br> Seconde partie</li> <li>Les Abeilles <i>Tendrement</i></li> <li>La Nan&egrave;te <i>Ga&yuml;ement</i></li> <li>Les Sentimens, Sarabande <i>Tr&egrave;s tendrement</i></li> <li>La Pastorelle <i>Na&iuml;vement</i></li> <li>Les Non&egrave;tes<br> Les Blondes <i>Tendrement</i><br> Les Brunes</li> <li>La Bourbonnoise, Gavotte <i>Ga&yuml;ement</i></li> <li>La Manon <i>Vivement</i></li> <li>L'Enchanteresse</li> <li>La Fleurie ou la tendre Nan&eacute;tte <i>Gracieusement</i></li> <li>Les plaisirs de Saint Germain en La&yuml;e</li><br> <strong>Second Ordre</strong><br> <li>Allemande La Laborieuse <i>Sans lenteur, et las doubles Croches un tain-Soit-peu point&eacute;es</i></li> <li>Premi&egrave;re Courante</li> <li>Seconde Courante</li> <li>Sarabande la Prude</li> <li>L'Antonine <i>Majestue&uuml;sement, sans lenteur</i></li> <li>Gavotte</li> <li>Menuet</li> <li>Canaries<br> Double des Canaries</li> <li>Passepied<br> Seconde partie</li> <li>Rigaudon<br> Seconde partie</li> </ol><ol> <li>La Charoloise</li> <li>La Diane <i>Ga&yuml;ement</i><br> Fanfare pour la Suitte de la Diane</li> <li>La Terpsicore <i>Mod&eacute;r&eacute;ment et marqu&eacute;</i></li> <li>La Florentine <i>D'une l&eacute;g&eacute;ret&eacute; tendre</i></li> <li>La Garnier <i>Mod&eacute;r&eacute;ment</i></li> <li>La Babet <i>Nonchalamment</i><br> Seconde partie <i>Un peu vivement</i></li> <li>Les id&eacute;es Heureuses <i>Tendrement, sans lenteur</i></li> <li>La Mimi <i>Affect&uuml;esement</i></li> <li>La Diligente <i>L&eacute;g&egrave;rement</i></li> <li>La Flateuse <i>Affect&uuml;eusement</i></li> <li>La Voluptue&uuml;se <i>Tendrement, &amp;c.</i></li> <li>Les Papillons <i>Tr&egrave;s l&eacute;g&egrave;rement</i></li><br> <strong>Troisi&egrave;me Ordre</strong><br> <li>La T&eacute;n&eacute;breuse, Allemande</li> <li>Premi&egrave;re Courante</li> <li>Seconde Courante</li> <li>La Lugubre, Sarabande</li> <li>Gavotte</li> <li>Menuet</li> <li>Les P&eacute;lerines<br> La Marche <i>Ga&yuml;ement</i><br> La Caristade <i>Tendrement</i><br> La Remerciement <i>L&eacute;g&egrave;rement</i></li> <li>Les Laurentines <i>Gracieusement</i><br> Seconde partie</li> <li>L'Espagnol&egrave;te <i>D'une l&eacute;g&egrave;ret&eacute; mod&eacute;r&eacute;e</i></li> <li>Les Regrets <i>Languissamment</i></li> <li>Les Matelotes Proven&ccedil;ales <i>Ga&yuml;ement</i><br> Seconde partie</li> <li>La Favorite, Chaconne &agrave; deux tems <i>Gravement sans lenteur</i></li> <li>La Lutine <i>Tr&egrave;s vivement et marqu&eacute;</i></li> </ol><ol> <strong>Quatri&egrave;me Ordre</strong><br> <li>La Marche des Gris-v&ecirc;tus <i>Pesamment, sans lenteur</i></li> <li>Les Baccanales<br> Enjo&uuml;emens Bachiques<br> Tendresses Bachiques<br> Fureurs Bachiques</li> <li>La Pateline <i>Gracieusement</i></li> <li>Le R&eacute;viel-matin <i>L&eacute;g&egrave;rement</i></li><br> <strong>Cinqui&egrave;me Ordre</strong><br> <li>La Logivi&eacute;re, Allemande <i>Majestue&uuml;sement, sans lenteur</i></li> <li>Courante</li> <li>Seconde Courante</li> <li>Sarabande la Dangereuse <i>Gravement</i></li> <li>Gigue</li> <li>La Tendre Fanchon <i>Gracieusement</i></li> <li>La Badine <i>L&eacute;g&egrave;rement et flat&eacute;</i></li> <li>La Bandoline <i>L&eacute;g&egrave;rement, sans vitesse</i></li> <li>La Flore <i>Gracieusement</i></li> <li>L'Ang&eacute;lique <i>D'une l&eacute;g&egrave;ret&eacute; mod&eacute;r&eacute;e</i><br> Seconde partie</li> <li>La Villers <i>Gracieusement</i><br> Seconde partie <i>Un peu plus vivement</i></li> <li>Les Vendangeuses</li> <li>Les Agr&eacute;mens <i>Gracieusement, sans lenteur</i><br> Seconde partie</li> <li>Les Ondes <i>Gracieusement, sans lenteur</i></li> </ol></p>  <p>Instrument: &Eacute;mile Jobin, after anonymous French 17th century model (meantone, a=392)</p>  <p>Playing time: 179'</p>  <p>Recording date: January, April, August &amp; September 1994</p>  <p>Couperin's 1st book was published in Paris in 1713, and marks a new stage in the development of French harpsichord music.  Four of the <i>ordres</i> consist of an older-style suite of dances followed by a set of character pieces, whereas the 4th <i>ordre</i> heralds the later Couperin in which character pieces dominate.</p>  <p>Prior to his <a href="era96364.htm">Second Book</a>, in <i>L'Art de toucher le clavecin</i>, Couperin laid out a precise set of ornaments and techniques for performing his music.  This clearly marks a new artistic generation, replacing the ornamental system of <a href="era45007.htm">D'Anglebert</a>.  In fact, in his notes, Olivier Baumont suggests that Couperin's first book actually intimidated other composers, judging by the drastically reduced number of harpsichord publications following its appearance.</p>  <p>While the latter might be hyperbole, Couperin's harpsichord output is one of those rare artistic legacies which combine dazzling novelty with tradtional forms in an unselfconscious way.  Beyond the combination of dance &amp; poetry, the First Book already marks the combination of major &amp; minor modes within an <i>ordre</i>, or even within the same piece.</p>  <p>To <a href="../../buy/info?era10694">purchasing information</a> for this disc</p>  <p>To <a href="era92859.htm">page of FAQ citation for this disc</a></p>  <address>Todd M. McComb</address> </body> </html> 
