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 13 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
Pièces de clavecin 11th ordre, L' Etincelante ou La Bontems - Harpsichord — —— harpsichord— 1
La Triomphante - Trumpet in E-flat 2 — —— —— 1
La Triomphante - Trombone 3 — —— —— 1
Concerto No. 6 Bb Major - Score — —— Continuo— 1
Les Abeilles from Pieces de clavicin I — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Nointéle from Pieces de clavicin II — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Wij houden van Oranje — —— String Quartet— —
Les Tricoteuses from Pieces de clavicin IV — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Gavotte from Pieces de clavicin I — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Hail! Sweetest, Dearest Tie That Binds — —— String Quartet— —
La Diane from Pieces de clavicin I — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Les Regrets from Pieces de clavicin I — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Les plaisirs de Saint Germain en Laye from Pieces de clavicin I — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Les Tours de Passe-passe from Pieces de clavicin IV — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Séduisante from Pieces de clavicin II — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
The Good Old Song — —— Piano, Flute— —
Famba zvinyoronyoro, tichasanganiswa muroa ra Jesu — —— Piano, Flute— —
In dulci jubilo — —— Piano, ViolaJazz —
Jipi Jay — —— Piano, Flute— —
Samakkhi Chumnum — —— Piano, Flute— —
Nehmt Abschied Brüder — —— Piano, Flute— —
La Belle Javotte autre fois L' Infante from Pieces de clavicin IV — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Logiviére Allemande From Pieces de clavicin I — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Laborieuse Allamande From Pieces de clavicin I — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Tää ystävyys ei raukene — —— Piano, Oboe— —
La Muse-Plantine from Pieces de clavicin III — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Misterieuse from Pieces de clavicin IV — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Boulonoise from Pieces de clavicin II — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Sainte Nuit A Minuit — —— Piano, Cello, Bassoon, TromboneJazz —
La Triomphante from Pieces de clavicin II — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Princesse de Sens from Pieces de clavicin II — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Nuit de Paix — —— Piano, English HornJazz —
La Sophie from Pieces de clavicin IV — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Verneüil from Pieces de clavicin III — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Raphaéle from Pieces de clavicin II — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Zénobie from Pieces de clavicin II — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Les Vergers fleüris from Pieces de clavicin III — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Les Vestales from Pieces de clavicin III — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Le Petit-Rien from Pieces de clavicin III — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Christmas Morning — —— Piano, violinJazz —
La Fringante from Pieces de clavicin II — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Commére from Pieces de clavicin II — —— Piano, Guitar, harpsichord— —
La Bondissante from Pieces de clavicin IV — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Boufonne from Pieces de clavicin IV — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Badine from Pieces de clavicin I — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Muse Victorieuse from Pieces de clavicin IV — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Complete Les Folies françoises, ou les Dominos 1-12. Couplet From Pieces de clavicin III — —— Piano— —
La Régente, ou la Minerve from Pieces de clavicin III — —— Piano, harpsichord— —

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.