This article presents a list of compositions by Louis Couperin.
Couperin's harpsichord music was catalogued by musicologist Bruce Gustafson. The same numbering scheme is used in the 1985 Éditions de l'Oiseau-Lyre edition, as well as in the first complete harpsichord works recording, by Davitt Moroney. The Baroque suite was not codified at the time, so French dances are found in manuscripts grouped by tonality. This approach is used here, as well, with some deviations reflecting the diverse nature of the sources.
Gustafson Number | Genre | Title | Key | Sample performances | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Prélude | D minor | |||
2 | Prélude | D major | |||
3 | Prélude | G minor | |||
4 | Prélude | G minor | |||
5 | Prélude | G minor | |||
6 | Prélude | à l'imitation de Mr. Froberger | A minor | ||
7 | Prélude | A minor | |||
8 | Prélude | A major | |||
9 | Prélude | C major | |||
10 | Prélude | C major | |||
11 | Prélude | C major | |||
12 | Prélude | F major | |||
13 | Prélude | F major | |||
14 | Prélude | E minor | |||
15 | Allemande | C major | |||
16 | Courante | C major | |||
17 | Courante | C major | |||
18 | Courante | C major | |||
19 | Courante | C major | |||
20 | Sarabande | C major | |||
21 | Sarabande | C major | |||
22 | Sarabande | C major | |||
23 | Sarabande | C major | |||
24 | Sarabande | C major | |||
25 | Sarabande | C major | |||
26 | Chaconne | C major | |||
27 | Passacaille | Versailles | C major | ||
28 | Sarabande | C major | |||
29 | Menuet | C major | |||
30 | Allemande | La précieuse | C minor | ||
31 | Courante | C minor | |||
32 | Sarabande | C minor | |||
33 | Gigue | C minor | |||
34 | Chaconne | La bergeronnette | C minor | ||
35 | Allemande | D minor | |||
36 | Allemande | D minor | |||
37 | Pièces de trois sorts de mouvements | D minor | |||
38 | Courante | D minor | |||
39 | Courante | D minor | |||
40 | Courante | D minor | |||
41 | Courante | D minor | |||
42 | Courante | D minor | |||
43 | Courante | D minor | |||
44 | Sarabande | D minor | |||
45 | Sarabande | D minor | |||
46 | Sarabande | D minor | |||
47 | Sarabande | en canon | D minor | ||
48 | Sarabande | D minor | |||
49 | Sarabande | D minor | |||
50 | Sarabande | D minor | |||
51 | Sarabande | D minor | |||
52 | Canarie | D minor | |||
53 | Volte | D minor | |||
54 | La pastourelle | D minor | |||
55 | Chaconne | D minor | |||
56 | Sarabande | D minor | |||
57 | Chaconne | La complaignante | D minor | ||
58 | Allemande | D major | |||
59 | Courante | D major | |||
60 | Sarabande | D major | |||
61 | Gaillarde | D major | |||
62 | Chaconne | D major | |||
63 | Allemande | de la paix | E minor | ||
64 | Courante | E minor | |||
65 | Sarabande | E minor | |||
66 | Allemande | F major | |||
67 | Allemande grave | F major | |||
68 | Courante | F major | |||
69 | Courante | F major | |||
70 | Courante | F major | |||
71 | Courante | F major | |||
72 | Sarabande | F major | |||
73 | Branle de basque | F major | |||
74 | Sarabande | F major | |||
75 | Sarabande | F major | |||
76 | Gigue | F major | |||
77 | Gaillarde | F major | |||
78 | Chaconne | F major | |||
79 | Gigue | F major | |||
80 | Chaconne | F major | |||
81 | Tombeau de Monsieur Blancrocher | F major | |||
82 | Allemande | G major | |||
83 | Allemande | G major | |||
84 | Courante | G major | |||
85 | Courante | G major | |||
86 | Courante | G major | |||
87 | Sarabande | G major | |||
88 | Gaillarde | G major | |||
89 | Chaconne | G major | |||
90 | Courante | G major | |||
91 | Courante | G major | |||
92 | Courante | G major | |||
93 | Allemande | G minor | |||
94 | Courante | G minor | |||
95 | Sarabande | G minor | |||
96 | Chaconne ou Passacaille | G minor | |||
97 | Sarabande | G minor | |||
98 | Passacaille | G minor | |||
99 | Allemande | A minor | |||
100 | Allemande | A minor | |||
101 | Allemande | L'amiable | A minor | ||
102 | La Piémontoise | A minor | |||
103 | Courante | A minor | |||
104 | Courante | A minor | |||
105 | Courante | La mignonne | A minor | ||
106 | Courante | A minor | |||
107 | Sarabande | A minor | |||
108 | Sarabande | A minor | |||
109 | Sarabande | A minor | |||
110 | Sarabande | A minor | |||
111 | Menuet & double | de Poitou | A minor | ||
112 | Courante | A major | |||
113 | Sarabande | A major | |||
114 | Gigue | A major | |||
115 | Allemande | B minor | |||
116 | Courante | B minor | |||
117 | Sarabande | B minor | |||
118 | Allemande | B-flat major | |||
119 | Courante | B-flat major | |||
120 | Pavanne | F-sharp minor | |||
121 | Chaconne | G minor | |||
122 | Gigue | D minor | |||
123 | - | - | - | - | |
124 | Gavotte | D minor | |||
125 | Gavotte & double | Gavotte de Mr. Hardel | A minor | ||
126 | Allemande & double | Le moutier de Mr. de Chambonnières | C major | ||
127 | Rigaudon & double | C major | |||
128 | Prélude | C minor | |||
129 | Prélude | G major | |||
130 | Gavotte & double | Gavotte de Mr. Le Bègue | C major | ||
131 | Allemande | A minor | |||
132 | Courante | A minor | |||
133 | Courante | Autre courante | A minor |
The vast majority of Couperin's organ pieces—the contents of the so-called Oldham manuscript—were unknown until 1957, and remained unpublished until 2003. The numbering in the following list is derived from the Éditions de l'Oiseau-Lyre (OL) edition (Monaco, 2003, 135 p.), the only available as of 2016 (but indefinitely out of print). Many of the pieces in the Oldham manuscript (still unavailable) are inscribed with the date of composition and/or the composer's name; these notices are reproduced here (with respect to the original spelling and punctuation) to facilitate navigation. The order of the pieces is similar to the one in the Oldham manuscript modern edition.
2 Carillons (for All Saints vespers) in : "Recueil de plusieurs vieux Airs faits aux Sacres, Couronnements, Mariages et autres Solennitez, faits sous les Règnes de François Ier, Henry 3, Henry 4 et Louis 13. Avec plusieurs Concerts faits pour leurs divertissement(s). Recueillis par Philidor l’Aisné en 1690".