Quatrième Livre De Piéces De Clavecin : Vingtième, Vingt-Unième & Vingt-Deuxième Ordres

Released in 1978 on the Astrée label, this recording is part of a landmark project by harpsichordist Blandine Verlet to document the complete keyboard works of François Couperin. The selection features the Vingtième, Vingt-Unième, and Vingt-Deuxième Ordres from the Quatrième Livre, first published by Couperin in 1730. This collection represents the mature style of the French Baroque, characterized by complex ornamentation, expressive melodic lines, and the refined, often melancholy introspection for which Couperin was celebrated.

Blandine Verlet was instrumental in the mid-20th-century revival of the harpsichord, noted for her commitment to authentic performance practices and her intimate approach to the repertoire. Produced under the boutique Astrée label, which sought high-fidelity soundscapes that captured the subtle resonances of historical harpsichords, this recording was received as a quintessential interpretation of the composer. It remains a reference point for scholars and enthusiasts who value the delicate balance of technical precision and poetic sensibility inherent in Couperin’s writing.