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 5 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
Air — —— Flute, Oboe, violin, ClarinetClassical 2
Les Bacchanales — —— Piano, Guitar— 3
La Morinete — —— Piano, Guitar— 3
Two Hurdy-Gurdy Tunes — —— Guitar— 2
The Startled Bird — —— Piano— 3
La Charolaise — —— PianoClassical 2
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 1, Suite 2, No. 23: Les Papillons — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 2, Suite 9, No. 8: Le Bavolet Flotant — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 1, Suite 1, No.14: La Bourbonnoise Gavotte — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 1, Suite 1, No.9: Les Abeilles — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 1, Suite 2, No.6: Gavotte — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 1, Suite 2, No.2: Premiere Courante — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 1, Suite 2, No.15: La Florentine — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 1, Suite 3, No.8: Les Laurentines — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 1, Suite 5, No.14: Les Ondes Rondeau — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 1, Suite 5, No.12: Les Vendangeuses — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 2, Suite 7, No.3: La Basque — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 2, Suite 8, No.7: Rondeau — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 2, Suite 10, No.1: La Triomphante Rondeau. 1. Bruit de Guerre — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 4, Suite 22, No.4: Le point du jour, allemande — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 4, Suite 22, No.5: L'anguille — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 4, Suite 22, No.8: Les tours de passe-passe — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 4, Suite 24, No.5: Les brinborions — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 4, Suite 25, No.5: Les ombres errantes — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 4, Suite 25, No.4: La muse victorieuse — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 1, Suite 2, No.20: La Diligente — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 1, Suite 4, No.2: Les Bacchanales 1. Premiere Partie Enjouemens Bachiques, 2. Second Partie Tendresses Bachiques, 3. Troisieme et Derniere Partie Des Bacchanales Fureurs Bachique. — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 3, Suite 16, No. 7: La Leitville — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 3, Suite 15, No. 7: Les Vergers fleuris — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 4, Suite 20, No.6: La douce Janneton — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 1, Suite 1, No. 18: Les Plaisirs de Saint-Germain-en-Laye — —— —— 1
Concerto No. 6 Bb Major - Preface — —— Continuo— 2
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 1, Suite 3, No. 4: La Lugubre — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 3, Suite 17, No. 2: Les Petits Moulins a Vent — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 3, Suite 13, No. 3: L'Engageante — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 3, Suite 13, No. 2: Les Rozeux — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 1, Suite 1, No.15: La Manon — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 1, Suite 1, No.10: La Nanette — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 1, Suite 2, No.7: Meneut — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 1, Suite 2, No.4: La Prude sarabande — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 1, Suite 2, No.16: La Garnier — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 1, Suite 4, No.3: La Pateline — —— —— 1
Offertoire Sur Les Grands Jeux in C major — —C major —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 2, Suite 6, No.7: La Commere — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 2, Suite 7, No.4: La Chaze — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 2, Suite 7, No.5: Les Amusemens rondeaux — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 2, Suite 8, No.8: Gigue — —— —— 1
Harpsichord Pieces, Book 2, Suite 12, No.3: La Galante — —— —— 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.