Couperin
Encyclopedia
The Couperin family were a musical dynasty of professional composer
s and performers. They were the most prolific family in French
musical history, active during the Baroque
era (17th—18th centuries). Louis Couperin
and his nephew, François Couperin
le grand, are the best known members of the family.
trader involved in legal and financial matters, Mathurin was also an amateur musician. No compositions by him survive, and he apparently stopped performing in 1619; but he taught his two sons, Denis and Charles. Charles (died 1654) settled in Chaumes-en-Brie
, a little town about 30 miles east of Paris, around 1601. He became a farmer and, eventually, part-time organist at the Benedictine abbey of St. Pierre (not the parish church). At least three of Charles' many children became professional musicians: Louis
(1626–1661), François (1631–1701), and Charles (1639–1679).
The family's breakthrough came around 1650, when Jacques Champion de Chambonnières
, then harpsichordist to the King of France, was visiting Brie. Le Parnasse François, a famous 1732 book by Évrard Titon du Tillet
, contains an account of Chambonnières's visit: apparently Louis, François, and Charles visited Chambonnières on the feast of Saint James—Chambonnières' name day—and offered the host and his guests a short concert, playing several pieces composed by Louis. The royal harpsichordist was so impressed with their skills that he took Louis to Paris
with him, and by 1651 the young composer was already living there. His brothers joined him soon afterwards. In 1653 Louis became the organist of Church Saint-Gervais: when he died, he was succeeded by Charles, Charles was succeeded by his son, and so on; the Couperins occupied the position for 173 years.
Louis was evidently a very successful and influential composer, but he died young, in 1661, and most of his compositions remained unpublished until the 20th century. Some years after his death, the second of the two most important Couperins was born: François Couperin
, nicknamed le Grand—"the Great". Although suffering from poor health throughout his life, François was a very prolific composer. He produced four livres of harpsichord pieces that represent the summit of the French harpsichord school, authored an influential and historically important treatise on harpsichord playing (L'art de toucher le clavecin
), and produced a number of other, sacred and secular works, that are still well known today.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
s and performers. They were the most prolific family in French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
musical history, active during the Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
era (17th—18th centuries). Louis Couperin
Louis Couperin
Louis Couperin was a French Baroque composer and performer. He was born in Chaumes-en-Brie and moved to Paris in 1650–51 with the help of Jacques Champion de Chambonnières. Couperin worked as organist of the Church of St. Gervais in Paris and as musician at the court...
and his nephew, François Couperin
François Couperin
François Couperin was a French Baroque composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was known as Couperin le Grand to distinguish him from other members of the musically talented Couperin family.-Life:Couperin was born in Paris...
le grand, are the best known members of the family.
History
The earliest mention of the name Couperin is from 1366, but the first musician of the family was apparently Mathurin Couperin (c.1569–c.1640). A BeauvoirBeauvoir, Seine-et-Marne
Beauvoir is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-External links:* *...
trader involved in legal and financial matters, Mathurin was also an amateur musician. No compositions by him survive, and he apparently stopped performing in 1619; but he taught his two sons, Denis and Charles. Charles (died 1654) settled in Chaumes-en-Brie
Chaumes-en-Brie
Chaumes-en-Brie is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is best known as the ancient home of the Couperin family of composers and musicians.-External links:* * *...
, a little town about 30 miles east of Paris, around 1601. He became a farmer and, eventually, part-time organist at the Benedictine abbey of St. Pierre (not the parish church). At least three of Charles' many children became professional musicians: Louis
Louis Couperin
Louis Couperin was a French Baroque composer and performer. He was born in Chaumes-en-Brie and moved to Paris in 1650–51 with the help of Jacques Champion de Chambonnières. Couperin worked as organist of the Church of St. Gervais in Paris and as musician at the court...
(1626–1661), François (1631–1701), and Charles (1639–1679).
The family's breakthrough came around 1650, when Jacques Champion de Chambonnières
Jacques Champion de Chambonnières
Jacques Champion de Chambonnières was a French harpsichordist, dancer and composer. Born into a musical family, Chambonnières made an illustrious career as court harpsichordist in Paris and was considered by many of his contemporaries to be one of the greatest musicians in Europe...
, then harpsichordist to the King of France, was visiting Brie. Le Parnasse François, a famous 1732 book by Évrard Titon du Tillet
Évrard Titon du Tillet
Évrard Titon du Tillet is best known for his important biographical chronicle, Le Parnasse françois, composed of brief anecdotal vite of famous French poets and musicians of his time, under the reign of Louis XIV and the Régence.- Biography :Of Scottish origin, Évrard Titon du Tillet was the son...
, contains an account of Chambonnières's visit: apparently Louis, François, and Charles visited Chambonnières on the feast of Saint James—Chambonnières' name day—and offered the host and his guests a short concert, playing several pieces composed by Louis. The royal harpsichordist was so impressed with their skills that he took Louis to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
with him, and by 1651 the young composer was already living there. His brothers joined him soon afterwards. In 1653 Louis became the organist of Church Saint-Gervais: when he died, he was succeeded by Charles, Charles was succeeded by his son, and so on; the Couperins occupied the position for 173 years.
Louis was evidently a very successful and influential composer, but he died young, in 1661, and most of his compositions remained unpublished until the 20th century. Some years after his death, the second of the two most important Couperins was born: François Couperin
François Couperin
François Couperin was a French Baroque composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was known as Couperin le Grand to distinguish him from other members of the musically talented Couperin family.-Life:Couperin was born in Paris...
, nicknamed le Grand—"the Great". Although suffering from poor health throughout his life, François was a very prolific composer. He produced four livres of harpsichord pieces that represent the summit of the French harpsichord school, authored an influential and historically important treatise on harpsichord playing (L'art de toucher le clavecin
L'Art de toucher le Clavecin
L'art de toucher le clavecin is a didactic treatise by the French composer François Couperin...
), and produced a number of other, sacred and secular works, that are still well known today.
Simplified family tree
Organists of Church Saint-Gervais are given in bold. The number in parentheses indicates the order of succession, i.e. Louis was the first organist of the church, succeeded by Charles, who was succeeded by François, etc.- Mathurin Couperin, died 1640; farmer, instrumentalist
- Denis, died 1656; notary, instrumentalist
- Charles the older, died 1654; instrumentalist
- LouisLouis CouperinLouis Couperin was a French Baroque composer and performer. He was born in Chaumes-en-Brie and moved to Paris in 1650–51 with the help of Jacques Champion de Chambonnières. Couperin worked as organist of the Church of St. Gervais in Paris and as musician at the court...
(1) (1626–1661) harpsichordist, organist and gambist - François (1631–1701) musician
- Marguerite-LouiseMarguerite-Louise CouperinMarguerite-Louise Couperin was a French soprano singer and harpsichordist, who came from the musically talented Couperin family dynasty...
(1676–1728) soprano singer and harpsichordist - Nicolas (4) (1680–1748), organist
- Armand-LouisArmand-Louis CouperinArmand-Louis Couperin was a French composer, organist, and harpsichordist of the late Baroque and early Classical periods. He was a member of the Couperin family of musicians, of which the most notable were his great uncle Louis and his cousin François.- Biography :Couperin was born in Paris...
(5) (1727–1789), organist- Pierre-Louis (6) (1755–1789), organist
- Gervais-François (7) (1759–1826), organist
- Céleste-Thérèse (1795–1860), organist
- Nicolas-Louis (1760–after 1817)
- Armand-Louis
- Marguerite-Louise
- Charles (2) (1639–1679)
- FrançoisFrançois CouperinFrançois Couperin was a French Baroque composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was known as Couperin le Grand to distinguish him from other members of the musically talented Couperin family.-Life:Couperin was born in Paris...
the Great (3) (1668–1733)- Marie-Madeleine (1690–1742) nun, organist
- François-Laurent (died after 1740)
- Marguerite-AntoinetteMarguerite-Antoinette CouperinMarguerite-Antoinette Couperin was a French harpsichordist, the first woman to hold the position of ordinaire de la musique de la chambre du roi pour le clavecin . -Life:...
(1705–1778) harpsichordist of the King's chamber
- François
- Louis