Louis Couperin's unmeasured preludes, written in undifferentiated note values, are famous for their challenge to performers and use intricate curves to indicate phrasing and sustain.
Composition History
Louis Couperin's earliest surviving composition, an organ fugue from around 1650, already showed his proficiency and hinted at his later style of using multiple suspensions.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Louis Couperin unified audacious harmonies, which were alien to his master Chambonnières' refined style, with robust counterpoint, setting a precedent for later French harpsichord composers.
Recording & Production
Pavel Kolesnikov used two different piano actions for this recording to achieve a wide range of expressive possibilities, from agile and precise to smooth and dark.
Historical Context
Louis Couperin was encouraged to move to Paris by the celebrated keyboard composer Jacques Champion Chambonnières, who recognized his talent.
Composer Biography
Louis Couperin, a composer, harpsichordist, organist, and viol player, was one of the greatest composers of keyboard music in the 17th century.
Composition History
Louis Couperin's works, along with those of Froberger and Chambonnières, are preserved in the Bauyn Manuscript, an anthology copied around 1676.
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