Concerts royaux (Couperin)

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This ensemble of suites to the French were played between 1714 and 1715, at the court of Louis XIV (hence the qualifier "royal"), at the time where chamber music concerts were prevalent. They are intended for listening more than dancing. They were published by François Couperin in 1722 without indication of instrumentation. The same piece can therefore be played by a solo harpsichord; or by an ensemble with a bass instrument, a violin, a viol, and a oboe or a flute. The freedom left for interpretation is also found in certain works of Marin Marais or of Gaspard Le Roux. This collection was supplemented in 1724 by a set of "Nouveaux Concerts" with the subtitle les Goûts réunis, or the "reunited tastes" of French and Italian styles.

Each concert is composed of a prelude and a succession of dances in the traditional order (allemande, sarabande or courante, followed by other dances.)

• Premier concert
  • Prélude
  • Allemande
  • Sarabande
  • Gavotte
  • Gigue
  • Menuet en trio

• Deuxième concert
  • Prélude
  • Allemande fuguée
  • Air tendre
  • Air contrefugué
  • Echos

• Troisième concert
  • Prélude
  • Allemande
  • Courante
  • Sarabande grave
  • Gavotte
  • Muzette
  • Chaconne légère

• Quatrième concert
  • Prélude
  • Allemande
  • Courante françoise
  • Courante à l'italiéne
  • Sarabande
  • Rigaudon
  • Forlane

[edit] See also

• List of compositions by François Couperin

[edit] External links

• The original version, as published by François Couperin at the end of Troisième Livre de Clavecin (1722): :http://icking-music-archive.org/ByComposer/Couperin.php