Armand-Louis COUPERIN (1727–1789)
Pièces de clavecin
Twelve Pieces in G
Ten Pieces in B-flat
Christophe Rousset (harpsichord)
rec. 2017, L’amphithéâtre de la Cité de la musique – Philharmonie de Paris
APARTÉ AP236 [49:00 + 51:00]
Baroque music features significantly on Aparté label releases with some eight albums devoted, mostly fully or in part, to the celebrated Couperin dynasty. Christophe Rousset, a renowned early music specialist, acts as either harpsichord soloist or director on six of these eight Couperin albums. Not surprisingly, François Couperin ‘Le Grand’ (1668–1733) has been given pride of place by the label with seven albums of his works. Another member of the extended family, Louis Couperin (c. 1626–1661), is represented on the label by a single album.
On this new album, the rarely heard music of Armand-Louis Couperin (1727–1789) is recognised with a collection of his Pièces de clavecin (Pieces for harpsichord). Avignon-born Rousset studied harpsichord with Huguette Dreyfus at La Schola Cantorum de Paris and later with Bob van Asperen at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. In 1991, Rousset founded Les Talens Lyriques, a period-instrument and vocal ensemble that he directs from the harpsichord. The ensemble is highly praised for performances of music from early baroque to the early Romantic period.
Armand-Louis fits into the Couperin clan as the great nephew of Louis and the nephew of François ‘Le Grand’, the most esteemed Couperin family member who served and gained acclaim in the prestigious post of court organist to Louis XIV (1638–1715) and to the Regent of France, Philippe II, Duke of Orleans (1674–1723) during Louis XV’s minority. Armand-Louis’s reputation was principally centred on his prowess as an organist. He made his living holding several organ posts during his career, holding some concurrently, including being organist at the church of Saint-Gervais, a post held for several generations by Couperin family members. In addition to his reputation as an organist, he was deemed one of the most accomplished musicians of the French harpsichord school. It is for his legacy as a composer of harpsichord music that Armand-Louis is best remembered today, yet in truth, I rarely encounter his music, in either recital or on record.
Armand-Louis was surrounded by the music of his uncle François and composers such as Rameau and would, in addition, as a Parisian in the city and court, have heard the music of Pergolesi, Stamitz, Haydn, Gluck and Mozart. In 1752, he married Elisabeth-Antoinette Blanchet (1729-1815), a gifted exponent of the harpsichord and the organ and daughter of the master harpsichord builder François-Étienne Blanchet I of Paris; she also taught. This association with the Blanchets allowed Armand-Louis to keep up to date with developments in keyboard instruments in general. Fortepianos started emerging in Paris in the early 1760s and a public concert using a fortepiano was given there for the first time in 1768. Instrument maker Sébastian Érard relocated to Paris in 1768 and would later begin to manufacture pianos for the French nobility, notably for Marie-Antoinette.
In 1751, Armand-Louis, then aged twenty-three, published his Pièces de clavecin a collection of miniatures bearing a dedication to the Princess, Madame Victoire a daughter of King and Queen of France, Louis XV and Marie Leszczyńska. This was Armand-Louis’ only published collection of solo harpsichord pieces. It was another fourteen years before his next music publication, a collection of six sonatas for harpsichord with violin accompaniment. His surviving works are virtually all written for the keyboard, or keyboard and chamber ensemble.
On this album, Rousset is playing a period harpsichord with an interesting history. It was built by Jean-Claude Goujon of Paris (pre. 1749) with ravalement by Jacques, Joachim Swanen of Paris (1784). It is from the permanent collection of the Musée de la musique that forms part of the Cité de la musique-Philharmonie de Paris.
Here, the twenty-two Pièces de clavecin are presented in two sets of the twelve Pièces in G on the first CD and ten in B-flat on the second, with the concluding Pièce - Les Quatre Nations - presented in four individual parts. On both sets, the Pièces have a pleasingly diverse content. Some are character pieces of named individuals such as La Victoire after the dedicatee, Madame Victoire of France, daughter of Louis XV, and La Blanchet, Armand-Louis’ wife. Others are expressions of emotions such as Les Tendres Sentimens to be played avec âme (with soul). There are French dance forms, too, for example the Menuets and Gavottes. With the Pièce - Les Quatre Nations, the composer endeavours to represent four national styles of music.
The music here is splendidly honoured by Rousset. A deeply serious player, one senses that he is exploiting the possibilities of the instrument to its fullest advantage. Every dance, character portrait, and individual emotion suggested by these miniature Pièces is played with absolute conviction, sincerity and perceptive expression. The chosen tempi seem well-judged and the playing is impeccably elegant, yet there is no shortage of ebullience and spirit when needed. Standing out from the set of Pièces in G is La Victoire, with Rousset providing a graceful, charming and most generous portrayal of the dedicatee the Princess Victoire. The Menuets, too, are gracefully played with a sense of evenness and balance. In the B-flat Pièces I am especially drawn to L’Affligée in which Rousset creates an intense sadness whereas L’Enjouée is joyously upbeat - an example of the refreshingly distinctive contrasts so typical of this collection.
This album was recorded for Aparté in the concert hall of the Cité de la musique – Philharmonie de Paris. Little Tribeca engineers excel providing clarity, satisfying balance and a most attractive sound from this well focused Goujon/Swanen harpsichord of the period. Contained in the booklet notes are a pair of essays of an uncommonly high standard. First is the ‘Swan Song of the French harpsichord: the Pièces de clavecin of Armand-Louis Couperin’ written by Denis Herlin. A second essay by Jean-Claude Battault contains a detailed description and specification of the Goujon/Swanen harpsichord played here by Rousset.
This is a most rewarding release of rarely heard solo harpsichord music of the French late-baroque period. Both sets of Pièces have a distinctive quality and Christophe Rousset’s playing is simply top-drawer.
Michael Cookson
Previous review: Stuart Sillitoe
Contents
22 Pièces de clavecin
CD 1
Pieces in G
1. La Victoire
2. Allemande
3. Courante. La de Croissy
4. Les Cacqueteuses
5. La Grégoire
6. L’Intrépide
7. Menuets
8. L’Arlequine ou la Adam
9. La Blanchet
10. La de Boisgelou
11. La Foucquet
12. La Sémillante ou la Joly
CD 2
Pieces in B-flat
1. La Turpin
2. Gavottes
3. Menuets
4. La du Breüil
5. La Chéron
6. L'Affligée
7. L’Enjouée
8. Les Tendres Sentimens
9. Rondeau gracieux
Les Quatre Nations:
10. Les Quatre Nations – L’Italienne
11. Les Quatre Nations – L’Angloise
12. Les Quatre Nations – L’Allemande
13. Les Quatre Nations – La François
