Gervais-François Couperin: Sonatas, Variations & Rondo

El Oufir Pierini, Simone

97190

This premiere recording of a selection of Gervais-François Couperin’s (1759-1826) works aims to give an overview of the latest member of the Couperin family whose works have survived to the present day. Son of Armand-Louis Couperin (1727-1789), Gervais-François Couperin (1759-1826) was the latest known musician of the greatest French musical dynasty of the time. He was a highly esteemed composer and musician, who played for Napoleon, and was organist of several important Churches in Paris (Saint- Gervais, St. Sulpice and others).

The four most employed forms in Couperin’s keyboard oeuvre are the variations, the sonata, the rondo, and the piece in free form, each of which is represented in this new recording. The highly virtuosic style of the two sonatas Op.1 becomes even evident in Les Incroyables Op.6, and Les Merveilleuses Op.7. The two pieces refer to the followers of a fashion highly favoured by the aristocracy in Paris during the French Directory (1795–1799). The followers of this new fashion, the Incroyables (i. e., the “incredibles”) as concerns men, the Merveilleuses (the “marvelous women”) for the women, greeted the new regime with an outbreak of luxury, decadence, and even silliness.

Played on the fortepiano by Simone Pierini Born in Rome in 1996, Pierini began studying music at the age of eight. Aged eighteen, he graduated in piano at S. Cecilia Conservatory of Music, Rome, with highest honors. He afterwards grew interest in historically informed piano practice, attending masterclasses led by Alexei Lubimov, Andreas Staier, Tobias Koch, Stefano Fiuzzi. Subsequently, his interest about historical keyboards in general grew further, and he began studying harpsichord and basso continuo with such teachers as Andrea Coen and Giovanni Togni. His recordings with music by Cherubini (BC 96246) and the complete piano sonatas by Hélène de Montgeroult (BC96247) were very positively received by the press. Classic FM nominated him as one of the 30 best musicians under 30 in 2024.

Works:

• Gervais-Francois Couperin: Klaviersonaten op. 1 Nr. 1 & 2
•Gervais-Francois Couperin: Variations on Complainte Bearnoise
•Gervais-Francois Couperin: Les Incroyables op. 6
•Gervais-Francois Couperin: Ah! ca ira, mis en Variations
•Gervais-Francois Couperin: Les Merveilleuses op. 7 - Piece musicale; Rondo D-Dur

CD x 1

Brilliant Classics

2024-09-02

5028421971902