Composer: François Couperin
Performer: Emer Buckley, Jochewed Schwarz
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Toccata
Catalogue: TOCC0258
Release: 2016
Size: 447 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
Concerts royaux, Concerto No. 4 in E Minor
01. VII. Forlane
Les nations, 1st Ordre “La françoise”
02. I. Gravement – Gayement – Rondement – Gayement – Gravement
03. II. Allemande. Sans lenteur
04. III. Première courante. Noblement
05. IV. Seconde courante. Un peu plus visité
06. V. Sarabande. Gravement
07. VI. Gigue. Gayement
08. VII. Chaconne ou passacaille. Modérément – Vif, et marqué
09. VIII. Gavotte
10. IX. Menuet
Pièces de clavecin, Book 2, 9th Ordre in A Major-Minor
11. No. 1, Allemande à 2 clavecins
Pièces de clavecin, Book 3, 15th Ordre in A Major-Minor
12. No. 4, Musette de Choisi
13. No. 5, Musette de Taverni
Les nations, 3rd Ordre “L’impériale”
14. I. Gravement – Vivement – Gravement, et marqué
15. II. Allemande. Sans lenteur
16. III. Courante
17. IV. Seconde courante. Plus marquée
18. V. Sarabande. Tendrement
19. VI. Bourée. Gayement
20. VII. Gigue. D’une légèreté modérée
21. VIII. Rondeau. Gayement
22. IX. Chaconne
23. X. Menuet
François Couperin confessed that he preferred to perform his two collections of chamber music – the Concerts Royaux in 1722 and Les Nations in 1726 – on two harpsichords. Astonishingly, that suggestion has had to wait for this series of two albums to be taken up in recordings.
In this second volume of the series two suites from Les Nations and movements from the Concerts Royaux are presented with a number of his Pièces de clavecin, also in rarely heard realisations for two harpsichords.
The Fanfare review of Volume One was enthusiastic: ‘The playing by harpsichordists Jochewed Schwarz and Emer Buckley is finely matched. Both blend well with each other and provide a strong, virile performance that brings the nuances and ornaments of Couperin’s music to life. One can see through their interplay why the composer considered this his ideal performance medium’. Emer Buckley was born in Dublin, Jochewed Schwarz in Tel Aviv. Emer, based in Paris, has a career as soloist and continuo player and also teaches harpsichord and continuo bass at the Conservatoire de Lille. Jochewed, who lives in Israel, divides her time between performing concerts and directing the Felicja Blumental Music Center and Library in Tel Aviv.