A Survey of Recorded French Harpsichord Music (16501770)

The French Baroque produced a wealth of music for the

harpsichord, of a very distinctive character. One can distinguish
two main periods, pivoting around the works of Franois
Couperin or the early 18th century. French composers went on
composing for the harpsichord until the Revolution.
The seventeenth century is mainly characterized by the lasting
influence of the lute, which was, until the 1660s, the king of
instruments. This influence is found both in the type of pieces
(loosely arranged dance suites, often preceded by unmeasured
preludes, and including allemandes, courantes, sarabandes and
gigues), as well as in the style and ornementation. D'Anglebert
includes several pieces by well-known lutenists, and
Chambonnires pays homage to the famous lutenist Blancrocher
in a tombeau.
By the time Couperin comes on the scene in the early 18th
century, the harpsichord has matured into its own style of short,
evocative character pieces, which owe less and less to the
dance archetypes. And, while the works of the Grand Sicle are
full or grandeur and solemn grace, the century of Louis XV is
more inclined to elegance and lightness. In this, the music
reflects the other arts, and one can think of the Grand Trianon
and the Petit Trianon as perfect expressions of this contrast.
Couperin has also expressed in two pieces of his 24th order, les
Grands Seigneurs (appropriately, a sarabande) and les Jeunes
Seigneurs. Nevertheless, the whole repertoire strikes me as
imbued from beginning to end with a tendancy toward
introspection and melancholy which makes gives it a unity and a
beauty second to none.

The Seventeenth Century (Le Grand Sicle)

Jacques Champion de Chambonnires (ca. 1597-1672) was the
founder of the French harpsichord school. He was son and
grandson of organists, and himself played the organ, but his
fame came from his talents in writing as well as playing the

harpsichord. In fact, he was the first one to succesfully perform

as a soloist in recitals on this instrument. He was the first to hold
the position of Harpsichordist of the King. He married the heiress
to the land of Chambonnires, in the Brie region. He published
two books of pieces in 1670, and a number of other pieces are in
various manuscripts. He was also the teacher of the three
Couperin brothers (Louis, Franois the elder and Charles),
d'Anglebert, Lebgue, and the organists Cambert, Hardel and
Nivers.
Pices de clavecin
Franoise Langell
Lyrinx LYR 066 (1985)
Pices de clavecin
Skip Semp
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 05472 77210 2 (1993)
One day, while Chambonnires was entertaining guests at his
country seat, three brothers from the nearby town of Chaume
came to serenade him on their violins, standing at the door of
the room where the party was. The diners were charmed by the
music, and the host asked the musicians to come in and join
them at the table. He asked if the music was their own, and they
pointed to one of them, Louis Couperin (1626-1661), as the
author. Chambonnires told him that he ought not to stay in the
country, and that he must absolutely come with him to Paris,
and thus started Louis Couperin's career. He eventually secured
the position of organist at Saint-Gervais, which was to remain in
his family until the 19th century. His harpsichord works were not
published in his lifetime, Davitt Moroney produced a modern
edition, used in the complete sets by him and Verlet.
Oeuvres (complete)
Davitt Moroney
Harmonia Mundi HMA 190124/7 (4 CDs; 1983)
Oeuvres (complete)

Blandine Verlet
Astre 7781, 8372/5 (5 CDs; 1987-1993), boxed set E8506
Oeuvres pour clavecin (vols. 1 and 2)
Nolle Spieth
Ades 202 372 and 202 672
3 suites pour clavecin
Christopher Hogwood
L'Oiseau-Lyre 443 189-2 (1982)
Suites
Gustav Leonhardt
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi GD 77058 (1979)
The other two composers who represent the French 17th century
are d'Anglebert and Lebgue. Nicolas Lebgue (1631-1702)
seems better recorded as an organist. Jean Henri
d'Anglebert (1635-91) succeeded Chambonnires as
Harpsichordist of the King when the latter was fired for refusing
to play basso continuo for Lully. He published his works in 1689.
Scott Ross recorded all of it, along with organ fugues. Kenneth
Gilbert recorded various excerpts of Lully's operas transcribed
for harpsichord by d'Anglebert.
Pices pour clavier
Scott Ross
Erato 245 007-2 (2 CDs; recorded 1987)
Suites pour clavecin
Britte Tramier
Pierre Verany PV 795012
Pices de Lully transcrites pour le clavecin
Kenneth Gilbert
Harmonia Mundi 901276

The Transition (ca. 1700)

So little is known about Gaspard Le Roux that some have

conjectured that it might be a pseudonym. He is thought of as
the link between d'Anglebert and Couperin (his published work
use d'Anglebert's table of ornaments), and combines the
severity and grandeur of the Grand Sicle with the grace of the
upcoming Rgence. Rousset's recent recording is absolutely
superb, on a beautiful 1751 Hemsch, perfectly recorded.
Suites pour clavecin (1705)
Huguette Grmy-Chaulliac
Musidisc VLS 291 382
Suites pour clavecin
Iakovos Pappas
Arkadia CDAK 127.1
Pices de clavecin
Christophe Rousset
Oiseau-Lyre 443 329-2 (1995)
Another figure which has received increasing attention for her
other works is Elizabeth Jacquet de la Guerre (1666-1729), who
published her second book in 1707 (her first book of 1687 is
lost).
Harpsichord works
Huguette Grmy-Chauliac
Musidisc VLS 290 392
Louis Marchand (1669-1732) was by far the best organist of his
time, and was a much-demanded harpsichord teacher. Only his
unruly behavior kept him from social and financial success. He
succeeded Nivers as organist of the Royal Chapel but had to
relinquish his post and spent time in various German courts. He
declined a position in Dresden because of the intimidating
presence of Bach, and returned to Paris to become organist at
the Cordeliers, where his concerts attracted crowds (even when
he played with one hand after having injured an arm). His
harpsichord output consists in two small books (suites, really)

published in 1699. Verlet's recording is complete, and is said to

be superb, but amounts to less than 40mn of recorded music,
whereas Grmy-Chauliac includes the complete output of
Clrambault (1676-1749), better known for his cantatas, who
published a book of harpsichord music in 1704 (but the miking is
terribly close to the instrument).
1er & 2e livres (1699)
Blandine Verlet
Astre E7736 (1978)
Marchand, Clrambault: L'Oeuvre pour Clavecin
Huguette Grmy-Chauliac
Fy FYCD 055 (1977)

Les Grands Matres: Couperin and Rameau

The highest point is reached with Franois Couperin "le Grand"
and Jean-Philippe Rameau (1684-1764).
Franois Couperin (1668-1733) was the son of Charles Couperin
(1639-79), younger brother of Louis. He succeeded d'Anglebert
as harpsichordist of the King, became organist of the Royal
Chapel, and taught the harpsichord to Louis XIV's grandson. His
younger daughter Marguerite-Antoinette was an accomplished
performer; she succeeded her father as harpsichordist of the
King and taught the instrument to Louis XV's daughters.
Couperin's music is arranged in 27 "Ordres", distributed through
4 books (published in 1713, 1717, 1722 and 1730). Some of his
orchestral or chamber works, namely the Apothoses of Corelli
and Lully, the four Concerts Royaux and pieces from the
Concerts des Nations, are also performed on one or two
harpsichords. A total of 12 hours of music or so, it contains a
microcosm of fantasy and characters. It is impossible not to
think of his contemporary Watteau, whose impressionistic
paintings show quiet revellers and strange comedia dell'arte
figures drifting amidst vast gardens bathed in a subdued,
melancholy light. Most pieces bear names suggesting moods,
emotions, or traits of character, while some are programmatic,

and some are simply mysterious. The whole forms a subtle and
magical world.
There are several complete recordings of Couperin's output. I
have not personally sampled all of them, but I can vouch for the
brilliance and exquisite sound of Rousset's cycle. Beaumont's
recording of book 4 is also excellent.
Complete Works
Scott Ross
Stil 0207 SAN 78 (12 CDs; 1977-78)
Complete Works
Blandine Verlet
Astre E7751/61 (11 CDs; 1976-80)
Complete Works
Kenneth Gilbert
Harmonia Mundi HMA 190351/60 (10 CDs; 1970-71)
Complete Works
Christophe Rousset
Harmonia Mundi HMC 901442/52 (11 CDs; 1993-95)
Complete Works (in progress)
Olivier Baumont
Livre I: Erato 0630-10694-2 (3 CDs)
Livre II: Erato 4509-96364-2 (3 CDs)
Livre III: Erato MusiFrance 4509-92859-2 (2 CDs)
Livre IV: Erato 2292-45824-2 (2 CDs; 1992)
Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764) published a book in 1706, the
Suites in 1724, the Nouvelles Suites in 1728, and five pieces as
part of his chamber pieces of 1741. Rameau's pieces are more
rare, and often more dramatic then Couperin ever is; they also
show more audacity and inventiveness. To me, this is really the
summum of the French harpsichord. Naturally, Rameau has
attracted the greatest performers of our time.
Complete Works

Scott Ross
Stil 2107 S 75 (3 CDs; 1975)
Complete Works
Nolle Spieth
Solstice SOCD 57/8 (2 CDs; 1988)
Complete Works
Christophe Rousset
Oiseau Lyre 425 886-2 (2 CDs; 1989)
Complete Works
Olivier Baumont
Adda 581120/40/50 (3 CDs; 1988-89)
Complete Works
Trevor Pinnock
CRD 3310/20/30 (3 CDs; 1974-5)
Complete Works
William Christie
Harmonia Mundi HMC 901120/1 (2 CDs; 1983)
Complete Works
Kenneth Gilbert
Archiv 427 176-2 (2 CDs; 1976)
Complete Works
G. Rowland
Naxos 8.553.047
Antoine Forqueray (1672-1745) was one of the best gambists of
his time and the rival of Marin Marais. His viol pieces were
published after his death by his son Jean-Baptiste
Forqueray (1699-1782), who, perhaps realizing that the viol was
in its death-throes, decided to transcribe the pieces for
harpsichord to expand their audience (1747). The result is rather
intriguing, unlike the other pieces of the time, and it takes a
robust interpretation, such as that of Le Gaillard, to do these

pieces justice. Leonhardt maintains a controlled energy, but Ton

Koopman lets go completely.
Complete Harpsichord works (5 suites)
Yannick Le Gaillard
Mandala MAN 4 818/19 (2 CDs; 1982)
Suites 3 and 4
Gustav Leonhardt
Sony Vivarte SK 48080 (1992)
Suites 1 and 5
Ton Koopman
Erato 2292-45751-2 (1990)
Suites 1, 3 and 5
L. Beausjour
Naxos 8.553 407

Les Petits Matres

It is quite clear that French harpsichord music reached its apex
with Couperin and Rameau. Their followers, however, are not
without interest. Much of the music fails to reach the exquisite
feeling and melancholy depth of the Great Masters, but the Little
Masters show the beauty of Rococo music at its finest. the
pieces cease to be structured in dance suites, and the character
pieces are more and more replaced by "dedicated" pieces (that
is, pieces bearing the name of a friend or, more likely, a wealthy
patron). These composers primarily aim to please, and they
succeed.
Jean-Franois Dandrieu (1682-1738) follows closely in the
footsteps of Couperin. As with all harpsichordists, he was
primarily an organist. He left three books of harpsichord pieces,
which have not been recorded in full.
24 pices extraites des trois livres (1724, 1728, 1738)
Olivier Beaumont
Adda 581073 (1987)

Louis-Claude Daquin (1694-1772) belonged to a well-established

family of scholars and medical doctors, descended from a 16th
century Italian talmudist from Aquino, who converted and
settled in Avignon. He was an extremely succesful organist: he
beat Rameau in the competition for the position at the church of
Saint-Paul in Paris, and later accumulated up to five positions,
including Notre-Dame and the Royal Chapel.
Premier Livre de Pices de clavecin (1735)
Anne Robert
BNL Productions 112809 (1991)
Claude-Bnigne Balbastre (1727-99) was again a very wellknown organist. He cumulated the organs of Notre-Dame and
the Royal Chapel, and taught harpsichord playing to MarieAntoinette and the duc de Chartres, future Philippe-galit. His
performances at Mass in the church of Saint-Roch included
gigues, hunting calls and other worldly intrusions which
delighted or shocked the audience. He was also very interested
in instrument-building, experimented with harpsichords, pianofortes, and a combined piano/organ. At the end of his life, he
adapted to the circumstances, and managed to save the organ
of Notre-Dame by demonstrating its usefulness under the new
order, by playing variations on Revolutionary marching songs.
Interestingly, Balbastre has attracted famous names in the
1970s: Gustav Leonhardt, Blandine Verlet, and a young William
Christie all recorded selections on LPs. Anne Robert's complete
recording of the 1st and only book of 1759 is excellent, and
shows how Balbastre combined virtuosity, character and charm
in a way which puts him above any dismissive labels. Ivte
Piveteau presents a selection which includes later pieces on
transitional harpsichords and piano-forte, including the
Revolutionary pieces.
Pices de clavecin (1er livre, 1759)
Anne Robert
Adda 581093 (1988)
Pices de clavecin (1er livre)

Ursula Deutschler
Claves LC3369
Du clavecin au piano-forte
Ivte Piveteau
Adda 581160 (1988)
Jacques Duphly (1715-89) was perhaps the last great proponent
of the harpsichord. He stuck to the instrument in contrast to
Balbastre. Le Gaillard's complete recording is superb. Selections
have been recorded by Mitzi Meyerson (Gaudeamus 108) and
Gustav Leonhardt (Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 77924, with pieces
by Le Roux, Rameau, Royer).
Pices de clavecin (1744-68)
Yannick Le Gaillard
Adda 581097/100 (4 CDs; 1988)
Franois R. Velde <velde@jhu.edu>