COUPERIN, FAMILY. — Descendants of a MATHURIN C. from the beginning of the 17th century, the C. were, like the Bachs, a family with fervent musical traditions. The most important member, François (c. 1668–1733), known as “le Grand,” was, after his uncle Louis (c. 1630–63) and his father CHARLES (1638–79) and after La Lande, appointed on 1 January 1685 organist at St-Gervais, a position that was later held by his cousin NICOLAS (1680–1748) and his descendants ARNAND LOUIS (1725–48) and GERVAS FRANÇOIS (d. 1826), and then by the latter’s daughter, CÉLESTE-THÉRÈSE, until 1836. On 26 December 1693 he became court organist at Versailles. In addition to his vast harpsichord production, which earned him well-deserved fame, a considerable part of his work consists of motets, in which a serene ardor and joyful effusion are united with incomparable grace. These works span a period from 1697, the date of a Laudate pueri Dominum found in a manuscript collection in the Versailles library, to 1705, the year of publication of the last book of motets; they strictly include the three books of Versets de motets (Paris 1703–1705), among which one recalls the Qui dat nivem (1702); the 13 manuscript Elevations in the Brussels library, to which is added another edition under the title Nouvelles Elevations, ou Versets de motets (Paris 1704), which ideally connect, by affinity of artistic and religious intent, to the Leçons des ténèbres (1714–15), offering a significant fusion of French and Italian tastes.
In the vast harvest of his instrumental music, the Pièces pour orgue (1690) hold a place of honor, consisting of two Masses: La Messe solennelle des paroisses and La Messe des couvents, suites of 21 pieces each, of a mystical and devotional character, in which majesty is joined to brilliance in the felicitous alternation of registers (they were published in 1904 by A. Guilmant and A. Pirro in vol. 5 of the Archives des Maîtres de l’Orgue, but under the name F. C. sieur de Croullé [1630–98], uncle of François C. “le Grand”).
He is a fine painter, with an enriched melodic design, minute descriptive refinement, and lively, spirited spirit, who, in his brush accustomed to anecdotal scenes, knows how to blend with brilliant richness the characteristics of the two styles, the two dominant voices in the art of the time, grafting, as has been said, onto his French vein the Italian taste.
COUPERIN, FAMILY — Portrait of François C. painted by an unknown artist c. 1695. Versailles, museum.
C. Bouvet, Une dynastie de musiciens français, les C., Paris 1919; J. Tiersot, F. C. compositeur de musique religieuse, in Revue de musicologie, 6 (1922), pp. 101–109; A. Tessier, Les C., Paris, 1926; P. Brunold, Le grand orgue de St-Gervais à Paris, Paris 1934.