French School of harpsichord

The France knew for the period baroque () a true flowering of type-setters for the Clavecin: l' French School of harpsichord .

Chronology

One can, schematically, divide this period into two parts:

Beginnings of the music of Harpsichord in France (1640 - 1710)

The first, until about 1710, is the period of the pioneers, who develop the French style (style broken or luthé) and the structure of the traditional continuation. As of this time the particular importance is attested which the French musicians attach to the ornamentation: it is frequent that the type-setters insert at the beginning of their printed works a “table of the ornaments” describing in a more or less explicit way the way in which they should be interpreted. François Couperin, the great figure of the harpsichord, will specify even later that an interpretation of the ornaments different from that which he recommends in his partitions betrays the thought of the type-setter.

Raise of this first esthetics, in an order coarsely chronological:

  • Jacques Champion of Chambonnières, regarded as the “father” of the French school
    • 2 books published in 1670 (composed parts well before)
  • Louis Couperin
    • between 1650 and 1661: approximately 130 parts remained in manuscript
  • Nicolas Lebègue;
    • 1677 - 1st book of parts grouped in continuations
    • 1687 - 2nd book of continuations
  • Jean-Henri d' Anglebert;
    • 1689 - collection of parts for the harpsichord with transcriptions of works of Lully and some parts of organ
  • Jean-Nicolas Geoffroy;
    • before 1694: 255 parts, grouped in continuations in all let us tons them, remained in manuscript
  • Louis Marchand;
    • 1699 : 1st book (1 continuation)
    • 1702: 2nd book (1 continuation)
    • about 1715: deliver (1 continuation) (overdraft in 2003)
  • Charles Dieupart;
    • 1701 (?) : 6 continuations with opening to the Frenchwoman
  • Gaspard the Russet-red;
    • 1705 : 7 continuations
  • Elisabeth Jacquet of the War;
    • 1687 : 1st book of continuations
    • 1707: 2nd book of continuations
  • Louis-Nicolas Clérambault;
    • 1704 : 1st book (2 continuations)

One must quote here German Johann Jakob Froberger, present in Paris towards 1650 and whose influence seems determining in the development of the traditional form of the continuation (German, Courante, Sarabande, Gigue).

Apart from the printed collections (the first are those of Chambonnières), the most important sources - in particular for Louis Couperin - are the Manuscrit Bauyn and the Manuscrit Parville.

Many of these artists practice the form, archaïsante as from 1700, of the Prélude not measured inherited the lutists, like certain dances in disuse (swing of Basque, canarie, pavane, strapping woman…)

Second period (1710 - 1789)

The second period, as from the years 1710, sees the renewal of the forms and the style, under the impulses complementary to François Couperin and Jean-Philippe Rameau. If the first appears like the large poet of the instrument, the second introduces a play shining, evoking Scarlatti sometimes, in the French tradition: their following, such Daquin, will draw with the two sources.

This period characterizes by bursting progressive of “continuation” (form that Couperin and some of its followers entitle “order”), the growing place granted to the parts of character or imitative, the influence of virtuosity to Italian, multiplication of the collections.

At the end of the period, the manner starts to evolve to the gallant Style and the use of the Basse of Alberti. This tendency feels clearly in the last book of Duphly. But this one is the last musician to devote the integrality of its work to the harpsichord which undergoes remplacment by the Piano: its death in 1789, as Armand-Louis Couperin seems the symbol - fortuitous… - one completed time.

For this period are active (nonexhaustive list):

Bibliographical reference marks

  • Call, Willi, The History off Keyboard Music to 1700. Translated & revised by Hans Tischler, Bloomington, Indiana Univ. Near, 1972
  • Gustafson, Br. & Fuller, David, Catalog off French harpsichord music, 1699-1780, Oxford University Press, 1990
  • Scheibert, Beverly, Jean-Henry d' Anglebert and the 17th-century harpsichord school, Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 1986
  • Silbiger, Alexander, Keyboard music before 1700, General Editor R. Larry Todd, Schirmer Books, 1995

See too

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