JustSheetMusic
Portrait of François Couperin

Composer

François Couperin

1668–1733

902 works in the index

Born
1668
Died
1733
Birthplace
Paris
Citizenship / historical state
France
Period (estimated from birth year)
Baroque

Biography

Couperin wrote for the harpsichord with a precision about ornaments that no other composer of his period matched — and then wrote a book explaining exactly how he wanted them played, because he had noticed people ignoring him.

The keyboard music is organised into four books of ordres, loose suites of character pieces with descriptive titles. Individually many are accessible to an intermediate player; the difficulty is almost never the notes but the ornamentation, which is written out in a symbol system of his own and is not optional decoration.

This is the one composer where buying an edition that reproduces his ornament table is genuinely necessary. Editions that silently modernise or simplify the ornaments are giving you a different piece. He also wrote a substantial body of chamber music and the Leçons de Ténèbres, which are among the finest French vocal works of the period.

In this catalogue

Common listed instruments
Piano, harpsichord, Organ, Keyboard, Cello
Genres represented
Classical, Jazz
Works with composition dates
1 of 902

These details describe the indexed sheet music, including arrangements.

Catalogue

Works page 12 of 19

Years are composition dates where known. Instruments describe editions in our catalogue and may include arrangements. A dash means the detail is not recorded.

Works and available sheet music details
WorkYear composedCatalogue / opusKey in titleListed instrumentsGenreEditions
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 4, Suite 21, No.4: La Harpée Piece dans le goût de la Harpe — —— —— 1
Elévation — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 3, Suite 16, No. 5: Le Drôle de Corps — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 3, Suite 18, No. 2: La Vernevilléte — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 3, Suite 14, No. 2: La Linote éfarouchée — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 3, Suite 15, No. 2: Le Dodo, ou l'amour au Berceau, Pièce-croisée — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 1, Suite 3, No. 1: La Ténébreuse — —— —— 1
Pièces de clavecin 12th ordre, Les Juméles - Solo Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
Pièces de clavecin 6th ordre, Les Langueurs Tendres - Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
Pièces de clavecin 11th ordre, La Zénobie - Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
Pièces de clavecin 8th ordre, L' Ausoniéne - Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
Pièces de clavecin 9th ordre, La Princesse de Sens - Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
Pièces de clavecin 12th ordre, La Boulonoise - Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
Pièces de clavecin 8th ordre, Rondeau - Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
Pièces de clavecin 10th ordre, La Nointéle - Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
Pièces de clavecin 9th ordre, Allemande - Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
La Triomphante - Piccolo Trumpet in B-flat — —— —— 1
La Triomphante - Trombone 1 — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 2, Suite 6, No.3: Le Gazoüillement — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 2, Suite 10, No.2: La Mézangére — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 2, Suite 11, No.3: Les Graces-Naturéles 1. Suite de la Bontems, — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 4, Suite 20, No.3: Les Chérubins ou l'aimable Lazure — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 4, Suite 22, No.1: Le trophée — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 3, Suite 15, No. 5: Muséte de Taverni — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 3, Suite 17, No. 5: Les petites Chrémiéres de Bagnolel — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 3, Suite 14, No. 3: Les Fauvétes Plaintives — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 3, Suite 15, No. 3: L'Evaporée — —— —— 1
Pièces de clavecin 7th ordre, La Ménetou - Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
Pièces de clavecin 12th ordre, La Vauvré - Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
Pièces de clavecin 9th ordre, Le Petit-deüil ou les trois Veuves - Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
Pièces de clavecin 7th ordre, Les Amusemens - Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
Piéces de clavecin 6th ordre, La commére - Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
Pièces de clavecin 6th ordre, La Bersan - Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
Pièces de clavecin 11th ordre, Les Fastes de la grande, Troisième Acte - Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
Pièces de clavecin 8th ordre, L' Unique - Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
Pièces de clavecin 9th ordre, La Rafraîchissante - Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
Pièces de clavecin 6th ordre, Les Baricades Mistérieuses - Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
Pièces de clavecin 6th ordre, Les Moissonneurs - Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
La Triomphante - B-flat Trumpet 2 — —— —— 1
La Triomphante - Trombone 2 — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 2, Suite 9, No.7: La Séduisante — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 2, Suite 9, No.9: Le Petit-deüil, ou les trois Veuves — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 2, Suite 10, No.4: La Nointéle — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 2, Suite 11, No.4: La Zénobie — —— —— 1
Pièces de clavecin 11th ordre, Les Fastes de la grande, Seconde Acte - Solo Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
Pièces de clavecin 8th ordre, La Raphaéle - Solo Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
Pièces de clavecin 9th ordre, Le Bavolet flotant - Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
Pièces de clavecin 11th ordre, Les Fastes de la grande, Quatrième Acte - Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1

Biographical record: Wikidata, matched on name and checked against dates held in the catalogue. The period label is an estimate from birth year. The biography above is our own. Authority record: VIAF 54332134. Portrait: Jean Charles Flipart / After André Bouys, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.