Couperin - 4eme Ordre des Pièces de Clavecin

Dear All,
Another Ordre of François Couperin to close the week-end ! This one is quite short (only 4 pieces), all in Fmajor and quite joyful. I enjoyed recording them on the harpsichord.

1. La Marche des Gris-vêtus (the March of the Gris-vêtus or Gray-clad regiment)
This march is quite parodic. I am playing in unequal eighth notes.

2. Les Bacchanales: Enjouements Bacchiques, Tendresses Bachiques, Fureurs bacchiques (The Bacchanales: Bacchic Revels, Bacchic Caresses, Bacchic Frenzies)
This piece dedicated to Bacchus, the god of the vine, the feast and the wine. Hence it is a small suite in the suite, with three parts of various movements. The middle one (in F minor) is quite exquisite (to my taste). The last one starts in minor mode, but eventually comes back to the original F major: Bacchus' furor does not last long, provided he gets good wine !

3. La Pateline (The Wheedler or Patelin's Piece)
"Patelin" means sugary or disingenuous, but I don't fine these feelings really illustrated by the music which is just fresh and nice.

4. Le Réveil-matin (The Alarm Clock)
This famous one uses alternatively to both hands an octave battery which evoques a clock.

Thanks for listening and commenting !

 

I listened to these at the weekend and honestly thought I had replied! You definitely have an affinity for this genre. It's not really my area of piano-playing, but your performances of Couperin are consistently persuasive.

 

Thank you very much Andrew. I failed to convert Chris Breemer to Couperin (Chris never forgot to tell me how insensitive it was to this music in spite of my efforts), but I am pleased to know that a great romantic as you can be at least slightly peaked by this apparently light and superficial music...