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 9 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
Notte lunar! — —— Piano, violinJazz —
La Verneüilléte from Pieces de clavicin III — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Gabriéle from Pieces de clavicin II — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Bourbonnoise from Pieces de clavicin I — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Princesse Marie from Pieces de clavicin IV — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Manon from Pieces de clavicin I — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Lugubre Sarabande From Pieces de clavicin I — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Flateuse from Pieces de clavicin I — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Divine-Babiche, ou les Amours-badins from Pieces de clavicin IV — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Distraite from Pieces de clavicin III — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Les Petites Chrémiéres de Bagnolet from Pieces de clavicin III — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Vauvré from Pieces de clavicin II — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Fine Madelon from Pieces de clavicin IV — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Les Sentiments Sarabande from Pieces de clavicin I — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Superbe ou la Forqueray from Pieces de clavicin III — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Le Turbulent from Pieces de clavicin III — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Favorite from Pieces de clavicin I — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Les Laurentines from Pieces de clavicin I — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Les Pélerines from Pieces de clavicin I — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Sezile from Pieces de clavicin IV — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
La Reine des Coeurs from Pieces de clavicin IV — —— Piano, harpsichord— —
Troisième livre de pièces de clavecin, quatorzième ordre: Le Rossignol en Amour — —— Piano, OrganClassical 2
Concert instrumental sous le titre d'Apothéose composé à la mémoire Immortelle de l'incomparable Monsieur de Lully — —— —— 1
Fugue on the 'Kyrie' 1690IMSLP —— Organ— 1
Pièces de Clavecín — —— harpsichord— 1
Plainte — —— Piano, Cello— 2
Air De Diable — —— Piano, Cello— 3
Volte — —— Piano— 1
L — —— Piano, Organ— 1
Passe-pied — —— Piano, Organ— 2
La dangereuse, sarabande — —— Piano— 1
Les bergeries, rondeau — —— Piano, Guitar, harpsichord— 3
Sarabande L — —— Piano— 1
Neuvieme Ordre — —— Piano— 2
La rafra?chissante — —— Piano, harpsichord— 1
La Princesse de Sens — —— Piano— 2
Le bavolet-flotant — —— Piano— 2
La castelane — —— Piano— 2
Treizieme Ordre — —— Piano— 2
Rondeau: La Linote Efarouchee — —— Piano, OrganClassical 1
Les Fauvetes Plaintives — —— Piano, OrganClassical 1
La Regente, Ou La Minerve — —— Piano, OrganClassical 1
Rondeau: Le Dodo, Ou L'Amour Au Berceau — —— Piano, OrganClassical 2
L'Evaporee — —— Piano, Organ, harpsichordClassical 1
Musete De Taverni — —— Piano, OrganClassical 1
La Douce, Et Piquante — —— Piano, OrganClassical 1
La Princesse De Chabevil, Ou La Muse De Monaco — —— Piano, OrganClassical 1
Le Drole De Corps — —— Piano, OrganClassical 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.