Louis Couperin: Complete Harpsichord Music

Berghella, Massimo

96238

Louis Couperin (1626-1661) was a French Baroque composer and harpsichord player. He was a member of a family of musicians and was one of the most important composers of harpsichord music in his time. He studied with the famous composer and founder of the French harpsichord school, Jacques Champion de Chambonnières. Louis was introduced to the court of Louis XIV and on April 9th 1653 became organist at Saint-Gervais, one of the most important positions in Paris at the time which he held until his death. He later became one of the organists at the Chapelle Royale.

Couperin’s harpsichord music is characterized by its intricate and delicate keyboard figurations, its ornate and expressive use of ornamentation, and its imaginative use of harmonies and keys.

Couperin’s complete harpsichord music consists of three main collections: the "Ordres", "Pièces de Clavecin" and "Pièces d’Orgue". The "Ordres" are a series of suites for harpsichord, each of which is comprised of several movements, including preludes, allemandes, courantes, sarabandes, minuets, and gigues. These pieces are notable for their fluid and improvisational character, as well as their highly decorative use of ornamentation. The "Pièces de Clavecin" are individual pieces for harpsichord, each of which showcases Couperin’s mastery of different musical styles, from the delicate and introspective to the lively and virtuosic.

Massimo Berghella is one of the foremost harpsichord players of Italy. He collaborated with Kenneth Gilbert, Ton Koopman and Alan Curtis.

CD x 5

Brilliant Classics

04/07/2023

5028421962382