Francois Couperin La Favorite

Francois Couperin La Favorite François Couperin (10 November 1668 11 September 1733) was a French Baroque composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was known as Couperin le Grand ( Couperin the Great ) to distinguish him from other members of the musically talented Couperin family. Couperin was born into a prominent musical family. His father Charles was organist at the Church of SaintGervais in Paris, a position previously held by Charles s brother Louis Couperin, the esteemed keyboard virtuoso and composer whose career was cut short by an early death. As a boy François must have received his first music lessons from his father, but Charles died in 1679. The church council at SaintGervais hired Michel Richard Delalande to serve as new organist on the understanding that François would replace him at age 18. The 11yearold was taken care of and taught, meanwhile, by organist JacquesDenis Thomelin, who served both at court and at the church of St JacquesdelaB