L'art de toucher le clavecin (English: The Art of Playing the Harpsichord) is a didactic treatise by the FrenchcomposerFrançois Couperin. It was first published in 1716, and was followed by a revised edition in 1717.
Title page of the first edition.
Cinquième prelude
from L'art de toucher le clavecin, performed by Robert Schröter on a harpsichord tuned in equal temperament
Cinquième prelude
The same work performed in a reconstructed tuning of "temperament ordinaire", which could have been used in France at Couperin's time
The treatise was written to instruct keyboard players in performance practice, particularly for Couperin's Pièces de Clavecin; Couperin, upon its publication, noted that it was "absolutely indispensable for playing my Pièces in the style most suitable to them".[1] With the early music revival, it became one of the primary sources for the keyboard fingering system which prevailed in Europe during the Baroque era.[2] It also sheds light on the ornamentation used at the time. It is considered one of the most significant surviving treatises of the period.[1]
Publication history and contents
There are no known autograph copies of the treatise, but copies survive of the two versions published during Couperin's lifetime. The 1716 edition of the work included eight simple Preludes and an original Allemande, technique exercises and instructions, fingering notes for passages in Pièces de Clavecin, and an essay about ornamentation. The 1717 edition added a new preface and a supplement outlining fingering for the second book of Pièces de Clavecin.[1]
L'art de toucher le clavecin was one of the last books to include unmeasured preludes for harpsichord (though bar numbers were added for teaching purposes), along with Nicolas Siret's second volume of harpsichord pieces (Second livre de pièces de clavecin, published in 1719).
References
^ abcCouperin, Francois (1974). "Foreword". In Margery Halford (ed.). L'art de toucher le Clavecin. Alfred Music Publishing. pp. 3–5. ISBN0-7390-0760-2.
^de Saint-Lambert, Michel (1983). Principles of the Harpsichord. CUP Archive. p. 73. ISBN978-0-521-27269-8.
toucher, clavecin, english, playing, harpsichord, didactic, treatise, french, composer, françois, couperin, first, published, 1716, followed, revised, edition, 1717, title, page, first, edition, cinquième, prelude, source, source, from, performed, robert, schr. L art de toucher le clavecin English The Art of Playing the Harpsichord is a didactic treatise by the French composer Francois Couperin It was first published in 1716 and was followed by a revised edition in 1717 Title page of the first edition Cinquieme prelude source source from L art de toucher le clavecin performed by Robert Schroter on a harpsichord tuned in equal temperamentCinquieme prelude source source The same work performed in a reconstructed tuning of temperament ordinaire which could have been used in France at Couperin s time Problems playing these files See media help The treatise was written to instruct keyboard players in performance practice particularly for Couperin s Pieces de Clavecin Couperin upon its publication noted that it was absolutely indispensable for playing my Pieces in the style most suitable to them 1 With the early music revival it became one of the primary sources for the keyboard fingering system which prevailed in Europe during the Baroque era 2 It also sheds light on the ornamentation used at the time It is considered one of the most significant surviving treatises of the period 1 Publication history and contents EditThere are no known autograph copies of the treatise but copies survive of the two versions published during Couperin s lifetime The 1716 edition of the work included eight simple Preludes and an original Allemande technique exercises and instructions fingering notes for passages in Pieces de Clavecin and an essay about ornamentation The 1717 edition added a new preface and a supplement outlining fingering for the second book of Pieces de Clavecin 1 L art de toucher le clavecin was one of the last books to include unmeasured preludes for harpsichord though bar numbers were added for teaching purposes along with Nicolas Siret s second volume of harpsichord pieces Second livre de pieces de clavecin published in 1719 References Edit a b c Couperin Francois 1974 Foreword In Margery Halford ed L art de toucher le Clavecin Alfred Music Publishing pp 3 5 ISBN 0 7390 0760 2 de Saint Lambert Michel 1983 Principles of the Harpsichord CUP Archive p 73 ISBN 978 0 521 27269 8 External links EditL art de toucher le clavecin Scores at the International Music Score Library Project Portals Classical music Music This music education related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte This article relating to musical instruments is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title L 27art de toucher le clavecin amp oldid 1048268353, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
