François Couperin Suite in A major

Couperin FrenchBaroque HarpsichordMusic HarpsichordSuite EarlyMusic Date of publication 1948 Alfred Ziegera (bass viola da gamba) Aldrich Putnam (harpsichord) François Couperin (16681733), known as "Couperin le Grand," was a master of the French Baroque style, and his Suite in A major exemplifies the elegance, refinement, and intricate ornamentation that characterized the suite, written for harpsichord, is part of Couperin's large collection of Pieces de clavecin (Keyboard Pieces), which revolutionized solo keyboard music with their poetic titles and expressive 's work is distinguished by its style brisé ("broken style"), where harmonies are arpeggiated to imitate the lute, and complex ornaments (agréments) that demand precision and nuance from the 's keyboard works were written primarily for the aristocratic salons of Louis XIV's France, where music was an integral part of court works often have descriptive titles (. Les Barricades Mystérieuses), although Suite in A Major leans more toward abstract dance suite reflects the aesthetic of the French Baroque ornate, refined and deeply expressive, with an emphasis on clarity and s suites bridged the gap between the strict counterpoint of the Baroque and the emerging galant influence extended to later composers such as Rameau and even Debussy, who admired Couperins poetic approach to keyboard writing. Suite in A major opens a window into the refined world of 18th-century France, where music was as subtle as it was dances shimmer with vitality, and its slower movements invite introspection the perfect introduction to the art of French Baroque keyboard listeners, you have the opportunity to support the channel: