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Donald Macleod examines how Couperin introduced Italian flavours to his native French style.

Donald Macleod marks 350 years since the birth of Francois Couperin, one of France’s most dazzling musical talents. His illustrious rise to fame began with his appointment as organist at St Gervais in Paris while he was still a teenager, and he went on to serve as a composer and harpsichordist at court of the Sun King, Louis XIV. Known to his contemporaries as ‘Couperin Le Grand’, he is recognised today as the most important French composer of his generation.

Many of Couperin's contemporaries looked down on the fashionable new musical styles emerging from other countries but Couperin embraced them. The Court of James II was in exile in France and brought with them music from Italy. As early as the 1690s, Francois was exploring Italian possibilities in music and he greatly admired the Trios of Arcangelo Couperin.

In the last decade of his career, Couperin published a collection of works called Les Gouts-Reunis, to bridge the musical divide between the Italian and French styles. He said in the preface that he himself had always admired works of merit without prejudice to the author or their nationality.

Premier livre de Pieces de clavecin, Premier ordre (La Milordine)
Christophe Rousset, harpsichord

Les Nations, Quatrieme Ordre (La Piemontoise)
The Purcell Quartet

Les Gouts-reunis ou Nouveux Concerts (Cinquieme Concert)
Musica Ad Rhenum

Quatrieme livre de Pieces de clavecin, Vingt-troisieme ordre
Christophe Rousset, harpsichord

Producer Luke Whitlock for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales