Concerts royaux (Couperin)


The Concerts Royaux are four suites by François Couperin written for the court of Louis XIV in 1714 – hence the qualifier "royal". Composed while chamber music concerts were in vogue, they are intended for listening more than dancing. They were published in 1722 without indication of instrumentation; therefore, the same piece can be played by solo harpsichord or by an ensemble with a bass instrument, a violin, a viol, and an oboe or a flute.. This collection was supplemented in 1724 by a set of "Nouveaux Concerts" with the subtitle les Goûts réunis, or the "reunited tastes" of French and Italian styles.
Each concert is composed of a prelude and a succession of dances in the traditional order