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 16 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
Fourth Prelude Additional credits François Couperin — —— Piano— —
Second Prelude Additional credits François Couperin — —— Piano— —
Sixth Prelude Additional credits François Couperin — —— Piano— —
Third Prelude Additional credits François Couperin — —— Piano— —
L'Ame-en-Peine — —— Piano— 1
La Linotte Effarouchee — —— PianoClassical 1
Carnival Scene — —— Piano— 1
Gloria — —— Organ, Choir— —
Cuckoos — —— —— —
The Thorny One — —— —— —
Le Petit-rien Performed by Francois Couperin — —— PianoClassical —
La Bavolet Flottant F Major — —— —— —
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 3, Suite 14, No. 4: Le Rossignol vainqueur — —— —— —
La Bavolet Flottant F Major - Score — —— —— —
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 2, Suite 6, No. 5: Les Barricades Mystérieuses — —— —— —
La Bavolet Flottant F Major - Tuba — —— —— —
Le Trophée from Pieces de clavicin IV — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Les Vieux Seigneurs Sarabande grave from Pieces de clavicin IV — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Les Timbres from Pieces de clavicin III — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Les Tambourins from Pieces de clavicin IV — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Skuld gammel venskab rejn forgo — —— Piano, Flute— —
Nuit de Silence — —— Piano, Cello, violin, BassoonJazz —
La Castelane from Pieces de clavicin II — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La douce Janneton from Pieces de clavicin IV — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Douce nuit, sainte nuit — —— Piano, violinJazz —
Les Vendangeuses from Pieces de clavicin I — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Visionaire from Pieces de clavicin IV — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Chazé from Pieces de clavicin II — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Princesse de Chabeüil ou La Muse de Monaco from Pieces de clavicin III — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Les Agrémens from Pieces de clavicin I — —— harpsichord— —
La Galante from Pieces de clavicin II — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Petite Pince-Sans-rire from Pieces de clavicin IV — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Babet from Pieces de clavicin I — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Bandoline from Pieces de clavicin I — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Monflambert from Pieces de clavicin IV — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Garnier From Pieces de clavicin I — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Bersan from Pieces de clavicin II — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Milordine Gigue From Pieces de clavicin I — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Mass For The Convents — —— Organ— —
Mass For The Parishes — —— Organ— —
[Unknown] — —— Piano— —
Allemande A Deux Clavecins — —— Piano— —
Allemande: La Logiviere — —— Piano— —
Allemande: La Tenebreuse — —— Piano— —
Allemande: L'auguste — —— Piano— —
Allemande: L'ausoniene — —— Piano— —
Dixieme Ordre [Tenth Ordre] — —— Piano— —
Gavotte: La Bourbonnoise — —— Piano— —

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.