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
History Goes Everywhere
austraLYSIS Electroband occupies a special place in Australian music. Formed in 1990 by Roger Dean, this trio has carved out a unique territory, pitting acoustic instruments against computer-generated material in live performance.