Armand-Louis Couperin
Encyclopedia
Armand-Louis Couperin was a French
composer
, organist
, and harpsichord
ist of the late Baroque and early Classical
periods. He was a member of the Couperin
family of musicians, of which the most notable were his great uncle Louis
and his cousin François
.
. His mother died when he was only 17 months old and he was raised by his father, Nicolas, also a composer and the successor to François "Le Grand" as organist at St. Gervais Church
in 1748. Nothing is known of Couperin's education, though his library at the time of death contained 885 books, unusual for a musician and evidence of scholarly interest.
At age 21, Couperin's father died without leaving a will, making him the sole heir of both his parents. His inheritance included Nicolas's post at St. Gervais. In 1752, Couperin married Elisabeth-Antoinette Blanchet, a professional musician and the daughter of the best harpsichord maker in France, François-Etienne Blanchet. They had four children, three of whom became musicians.
Couperin and his wife taught harpsichord lessons and she was the organist at the abbey of Montmartre
. Following his departure from St. Gervais, Couperin's many posts included St. Barthélemy (to 1772), St Jean-en-Grève, the convent of the Carmes-Billettes, Notre Dame
(from 1755), the Sainte Chapelle (from 1760), Sainte Marguerite, and the royal chapel (from 1770).
Couperin died at 61 in Paris in a traffic accident while hurrying from Vespers
at Ste. Chapelle to St. Gervais.
, laud his improvisation
al virtuosity (often on the Te Deum
hymn) and established his reputation as one of the two best organists of the era. Nevertheless, only one piece for organ exists today.
Couperin did not publish his church music and he refused to write for the theater. His surviving works are almost exclusively for the keyboard.
Unlike many of his contemporaries, Couperin remained attached stylistically to la grande tradition française, and his pieces have been criticized for their lack of modernity. However, David Fuller cites his experimental impulse and urge to explore the possibilities of instruments. An example is his Simphonie de clavecins, the only work in existence that requires two harpsichords with genouillères (knee-levers that allowed diminuendo
s).
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, and harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
ist of the late Baroque and early Classical
Classical period (music)
The dates of the Classical Period in Western music are generally accepted as being between about 1750 and 1830. However, the term classical music is used colloquially to describe a variety of Western musical styles from the ninth century to the present, and especially from the sixteenth or...
periods. He was a member of the Couperin
Couperin
The Couperin family were a musical dynasty of professional composers and performers. They were the most prolific family in French musical history, active during the Baroque era...
family of musicians, of which the most notable were his great uncle Louis
Louis Couperin
Louis Couperin was a French Baroque composer and performer. He was born in Chaumes-en-Brie and moved to Paris in 1650–51 with the help of Jacques Champion de Chambonnières. Couperin worked as organist of the Church of St. Gervais in Paris and as musician at the court...
and his cousin François
François Couperin
François Couperin was a French Baroque composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was known as Couperin le Grand to distinguish him from other members of the musically talented Couperin family.-Life:Couperin was born in Paris...
.
Biography
Couperin was born in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. His mother died when he was only 17 months old and he was raised by his father, Nicolas, also a composer and the successor to François "Le Grand" as organist at St. Gervais Church
St-Gervais-et-St-Protais Church
The St-Gervais-et-St-Protais Church of Paris sheltered one of the most famous dynasties of French musicians, the Couperin family, for more than two centuries, beginning in 1653....
in 1748. Nothing is known of Couperin's education, though his library at the time of death contained 885 books, unusual for a musician and evidence of scholarly interest.
At age 21, Couperin's father died without leaving a will, making him the sole heir of both his parents. His inheritance included Nicolas's post at St. Gervais. In 1752, Couperin married Elisabeth-Antoinette Blanchet, a professional musician and the daughter of the best harpsichord maker in France, François-Etienne Blanchet. They had four children, three of whom became musicians.
Couperin and his wife taught harpsichord lessons and she was the organist at the abbey of Montmartre
Montmartre
Montmartre is a hill which is 130 metres high, giving its name to the surrounding district, in the north of Paris in the 18th arrondissement, a part of the Right Bank. Montmartre is primarily known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré Cœur on its summit and as a nightclub district...
. Following his departure from St. Gervais, Couperin's many posts included St. Barthélemy (to 1772), St Jean-en-Grève, the convent of the Carmes-Billettes, Notre Dame
Notre Dame de Paris
Notre Dame de Paris , also known as Notre Dame Cathedral, is a Gothic, Roman Catholic cathedral on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. It is the cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Paris: that is, it is the church that contains the cathedra of...
(from 1755), the Sainte Chapelle (from 1760), Sainte Marguerite, and the royal chapel (from 1770).
Couperin died at 61 in Paris in a traffic accident while hurrying from Vespers
Vespers
Vespers is the evening prayer service in the Western Catholic, Eastern Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran liturgies of the canonical hours...
at Ste. Chapelle to St. Gervais.
Music
References to Couperin by his contemporaries, including Charles BurneyCharles Burney
Charles Burney FRS was an English music historian and father of authors Frances Burney and Sarah Burney.-Life and career:...
, laud his improvisation
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
al virtuosity (often on the Te Deum
Te Deum
The Te Deum is an early Christian hymn of praise. The title is taken from its opening Latin words, Te Deum laudamus, rendered literally as "Thee, O God, we praise"....
hymn) and established his reputation as one of the two best organists of the era. Nevertheless, only one piece for organ exists today.
Couperin did not publish his church music and he refused to write for the theater. His surviving works are almost exclusively for the keyboard.
Unlike many of his contemporaries, Couperin remained attached stylistically to la grande tradition française, and his pieces have been criticized for their lack of modernity. However, David Fuller cites his experimental impulse and urge to explore the possibilities of instruments. An example is his Simphonie de clavecins, the only work in existence that requires two harpsichords with genouillères (knee-levers that allowed diminuendo
Dynamics (music)
In music, dynamics normally refers to the volume of a sound or note, but can also refer to every aspect of the execution of a given piece, either stylistic or functional . The term is also applied to the written or printed musical notation used to indicate dynamics...
s).
Works
- 3 cantatilles (lost) : Le Printemps, La Jeunesse, La Vieillesse
- Cantatille pour l’Amour Médecin (soprano, 2 violins, bass) (1750)
- Pièces de Clavecin, Opus I (1751)
- Sonates en pièces de clavecin, Opus II (1765)
- Sonates en trio (1770)
- Quatuors à deux clavecins (1773)
- Symphonie
- Dialogue entre le chalumeau et le basson, for organ (1775)
- Variations pour clavecin:
- sur l’air Vous l’ordonnez (1775)
- Aria con variazione (1781)
- sur l’air Richard Cœur de Lion (1784)
- Several motets of which only one remains: Motet au Saint Sacrement (1787)
Pièces de Clavecin (1751)
- La Victoire
- Allemande
- Courante, La de Croissy
- Les Cacqueteuses
- La Grégoire
- L'Intrépide
- Premier menuet, deuxième menuet
- L'Arlequine ou la Adam, rondeau
- La Blanchet
- La de Boisgelou
- La Foucquet
- La Sémillante ou la Joly
- La Turpin
- Première gavotte, seconde gavotte
- Premier menuet, second menuet
- La du Breüil
- La Chéron
- L'Affligée
- L'Enjouée
- Les tendres Sentiments
- Rondeau
- Les quatre nations
- L'Italienne
- L'Angloise, rondeau
- L'Allemande
- La Françoise
External links
- Les cacqueteuses Score from Sibley Music Library Digital Scores Collection