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The Mirror of Human Life: Reflections on Francois Couperin's "Pieces De Clavecin"
Tytuly utworow klawesynowych Franois Couperina zastanawialy kolejne pokolenia wykonawcow i sluchaczy Wiele owych tytulow odnosi sie do przedstawien teatralnych inne sa portretami zyczliwymi lub satyrycznymi postaci z kregu kompozytora dworzan arystokratow muzykow aktorow i aktorek Niniejsza ksiazka otwiera drzwi do swiata Couperina Jane Clark zapoznaje nas z postaciami zaludniajacymi Pieces de Clavecin ktorych zycie czasem dramatyczne a nawet skandalizujace zilustrowane zostalo cytatami z owczesnych listow piesni i muzycznych epigramatow Derek Connon bada swiat literacki i teatralny w ktorym obracal sie kompozytor szczegolnie rywalizujace ze soba zespoly Comedis francuski i wloski ten ostatni z jego powiazaniami z improwizowana commedia dellarte Sercem ksiazki jest analityczny katalog poszczegolnych czesci wszystkich 27 Ordres przedstawiajacy to co wiadomo na temat znaczenia kazdego z tytulow Nawet dla wspolczesnych kompozytora nie kazda aluzja byla czytelna tam zas gdzie znaczenie tytulu pozostaje tajemnica zostaly przedstawione alternatywne mozliwosci
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September 12, 2016
The strange titles of Couperin’s harpsichord pieces have intrigued many, but have largely remained elusive. By a close understanding of the aristocratic culture in France around the turn of the eighteenth-century, Clark and Connon go some way to illuminating the mystery.
The Pièces de Clavecin abound in references to people, love, the theatre, sex and drinking. In his book on Couperin, Beaussant boldly claims that most of the women referred to in the titles are fictitious, but Clark often finds multiple possible candidates from contemporary Parisian society. References to the theatre come in audacious pieces like La triomphante. Humour is the key to much of Couperin; Les fastes de la grande et ancienne Ménestrandise is an epic and extremely bitter satire on a curmudgeonly and intrusive musician’s guild. Sometimes the humour is more light hearted, as in Le réveil-matin; possibly a reference to the dread of the alarm clock on the morning after a night’s drinking.
Reading this book, we get a glimpse of the rich cultural references Couperin employed in his titles and music. An excellent book for enthusiasts; it reveals a small part of an alien time and place.
The Pièces de Clavecin abound in references to people, love, the theatre, sex and drinking. In his book on Couperin, Beaussant boldly claims that most of the women referred to in the titles are fictitious, but Clark often finds multiple possible candidates from contemporary Parisian society. References to the theatre come in audacious pieces like La triomphante. Humour is the key to much of Couperin; Les fastes de la grande et ancienne Ménestrandise is an epic and extremely bitter satire on a curmudgeonly and intrusive musician’s guild. Sometimes the humour is more light hearted, as in Le réveil-matin; possibly a reference to the dread of the alarm clock on the morning after a night’s drinking.
Reading this book, we get a glimpse of the rich cultural references Couperin employed in his titles and music. An excellent book for enthusiasts; it reveals a small part of an alien time and place.
Displaying 1 of 1 review