François Couperin (1668 – 1733) was a French Baroque
composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was known as
Couperin le Grand ("Couperin the Great") to distinguish
him from other members of the musically talented
Couperin family. He was born in Paris, into a prominent
musical family. His father Charles was organist at the
Church of Saint-Gervais in the city, a position
previously held by Charles's brother Louis Couperin,
the esteemed keyboard virtuoso and composer whose
career was cut short b...(+)
François Couperin (1668 – 1733) was a French Baroque
composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was known as
Couperin le Grand ("Couperin the Great") to distinguish
him from other members of the musically talented
Couperin family. He was born in Paris, into a prominent
musical family. His father Charles was organist at the
Church of Saint-Gervais in the city, a position
previously held by Charles's brother Louis Couperin,
the esteemed keyboard virtuoso and composer whose
career was cut short by an early death. As a boy
François must have received his first music lessons
from his father, but Charles died in 1679 leaving the
position at Saint-Gervais to his son, a common practice
known as survivance that few churches ignored. With
their hands tied, the churchwardens at Saint-Gervais
hired Michel Richard Delalande to serve as new organist
on the understanding that François would replace him
at age 18. However, it is likely Couperin began these
duties much earlier: a stipend of 100 livres per year,
which had been provided the Couperin on Charles's death
slowly increased to 400 livres, suggesting that
Couperin had gradually begun to take on the mantle as
his studies progressed.
The 11-year-old was taken care of and taught,
meanwhile, by organist Jacques-Denis Thomelin, who
served both at court and at the church of
Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie. Biographer Évrard Titon
du Tillet wrote that Thomelin treated the boy extremely
well, becoming a second father to him. François'
talent must have shown itself early on because by 1685
the church council began providing him a salary,
although he had no contract.
At twenty-one Couperin also lost his mother, Marie
(née Guérin), but otherwise his life and career were
accompanied by good fortune. In 1689 he married
Marie-Anne Ansault, daughter of a prosperous family.
The next year saw the publication of his Pièces
d'orgue, a collection of organ masses praised by
Delalande, who may have assisted with the project. In
three more years Couperin succeeded Thomelin at Louis
XIV's court. The appointment brought him in touch with
some of the finest composers of the day as well as the
aristocracy. His earliest chamber music dates from this
time. Couperin met his court duties in tandem with
those he now had as organist at Saint-Gervais, while
also composing.
Source: Wikipedia
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_Couperin)<
br>
Although originally composed for Solo Keyboard
(Harpsichord), I created this Arrangement of "Les
Chérubins" from "Pièces de clavecin" (Vingtième
Ordre 20 No. 4) for Viola & Piano from an arrangement
by Jenne Van Antwerpen.
SHEET MUSIC
Greetings from Anna??