Francois Couperin

Rating:
Summary: A careful study of a mysterious composer.
Review: So little factual informaton exists about Francois Couperin that most biographers give but a brief sketch of the man's life and concentrate on his works. Phillippe Beaussant attempts a more complete picture of Couperin, and the result is a mostly satisfying, educated but (necessarily) speculative account of Couperin's life. Do not expect any drama here. The best chapters of the book deal with French baroque society, customs and art. His analysis of much of the music is lightweight, but is certainly enough to whet one's appetite for the actual stuff. Since reading this book I have become a devoted fan of Couperin's music.

Rating:
Summary: A careful study of a mysterious composer.
Review: So little factual informaton exists about Francois Couperin that most biographers give but a brief sketch of the man's life and concentrate on his works. Phillippe Beaussant attempts a more complete picture of Couperin, and the result is a mostly satisfying, educated but (necessarily) speculative account of Couperin's life. Do not expect any drama here. The best chapters of the book deal with French baroque society, customs and art. His analysis of much of the music is lightweight, but is certainly enough to whet one's appetite for the actual stuff. Since reading this book I have become a devoted fan of Couperin's music.