Louis Couperin
Louis Couperin (c. 1626–1661) was a French Baroque composer and keyboard player whose brief career shaped the French organ and harpsichord schools. Some two hundred works survive only in manuscript.
Born at Chaumes-en-Brie, he settled in Paris in the early 1650s, became organist of St Gervais, and served at court as harpsichordist, organist and violist. His career ended with his death at thirty-five.
He is the first major figure of the Couperin family. On the organ he wrote pieces for particular registrations and helped open the colourful concertante style of later French practice. For the harpsichord he invented the unmeasured prelude, notated in whole notes joined by flowing curves, and left a substantial body of dances, chaconnes and passacaglias that performers still group into suites.
Compositions by Louis Couperin appear on
Historic Organs of the Barossa Valley, Vol. 2
Christopher Dearnley and John Stiller play seven historic Lutheran church organs of South Australia’s Barossa Valley in the second volume of this survey.
Bamboo Organ
Douglas Lawrence and the Manila Chamber Orchestra. Manila's suburb of Las Piñas boasts the world's only organ with pipes made from bamboo. Solo pieces and Handel's Organ Concerto in G minor show the instrument's range; a bonus disc interviews the restorer.
Festival of Organ Masterpieces
Douglas Lawrence plays favourite organ repertoire on the instrument of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne, spanning nearly three centuries of transcriptions and original works.