Released 1980 by Harmonia Mundi LC0962 , Aufnahmeort: Amsterdam.
Aufnahme: P. Dery / W. Draga, Technik: Sonart
Das Instrument wurde 1977 von Martin Skowroneck in franzosischer Art nach einem Modell um 1680 gebaut. Stimmung: ein Halbton unter normal (mitteltönig)

Titelbild: Charles Couperin (1638-1679), der Bruder und Schüler von Louis Couperln. Das Gemalde von Claude Lefebre (1632-1675)
zeigt Ihn mit der Tochter des Malers.
Mit freundl. Genehmigung von Giraudon, Gestaltung: B & M Wiesinger
Ubersetzung: G. Beasley

SEITE 1 31 ’34’
I. Suite in a-moll
00:00 Prélude à l’imitation de Mr, Froberger
07:02 Allemande
10:27 Courante La Mignonne
11:47 Sarabande
14:50 Menuet
16:45 La Piémontoise

II. Suite in C-dur,
18:36 Prélude
22:03 Allemande
25:04 Courante
26:30 Sarabande
27:52 Chaconne

SEITE 2 25’44
31:21 I. Pavane, in fis-moll

II. Suite in F-dur
38:19 Prélude
41:00 Allemande grave
45:06 Courante
46:19 Sarabande
47:43 Branle de Basque
48:28 Gaillarde
49:28 Chaconne

52:12 Tombeau de Monsieur Blancrocher

Just as the name “Bach” immediately brings Johann
Sebastian to mind, upon hearing the name “Couperin” we tend
to think of Franyo.is, whose achievements were so noteworthy
that even his cOCltemporaries ‘called him “the Great”. Like the
Bachs, however, the Couperins were a large family, whose
members held important posts for some two hundred years and
played a dominant role in the history of French music. Not until
– recently, however, has ·the founder of th”is musical dynasty
. begun to emerge from the shadow of his famous nephew. Louis
is!. Couperin was born ·in Chaumescen-Brie (about 50 km east of
Paris) in 1626. With his two brothers Franyois (born around 1630)
and Charles (born 1638, the father of Franyois “the Great”) he
grew .up in the pastoral setting of this small town. The brothers
seem to have received their first training in music from their
father,.who was·the sch901-master and pastor, and who probably
gave them organ lessons. Due to the fact that a number of
nobles and court musiCians had countryestates in the vicinity of
Chaumes, the Brie was the scene of a fairly lively musical life, to
which the three young musicians probably owed a great deal.
On a certain 24th of July (probably in, the year 1652L they
decided to give their famous neighbor Jacques Champion de
Chambonnieres a little serenade, composed by Louis, in
honour of his name-day. This initiative was to have a decisive
effect upon the subsequent fate of the family.
Chambonnieres, the founder of the French clavecin school,
was so impressed by the performance and by the unusual talent
of the young composer, that he immediately took him under his
wing, put in a good word for him at court and, as early as 1653,
helped him secure the position of organist at the Church of St.
Gervais in Paris. (Franyois and Charles soon followed Louis
there, and indeed this position remained more or less in the
family until 1826). From then on, Louis’ rise was inevitable:
under Chambonnieres’ guidance he made such progress that
he had soon reached – or, indeed, su rpassed – the level of his
teacher. At the same time, Chambonnieres’ own light was
beginning to dim, and several of his colleagues, jealous both of
his success in aristocratic circles and his title, schemed to get
him removed from his post as Court Clavecinist in favour of his
pupil. They failed, however, to reckon with Louis’ integrity: he
refused adamantly to have any part of these intrigues; in fact, this
was probably the very reason that the king decided to grant him
the post of a Court Violist. Unfortunately, he was not to enjoy his
happiness for very long: he died in mid-October1661 , atthe age
of 35. His musical career had lasted no more than a decade, but
in this short span he had created an oeuvre of astonishing
dimensions, which secured him a permanent reputation. Apart
from a few simphonies for violas he left behind some 200 pieces
for organ and (mainly) for harpsichord. Most of these were not
published until 1936; and those which have since then been
discovered are for the most part still unpublished.

#MartinSkowroneck #GustavLeonhardt