First Book of Pieces for Harpsichord

Michel Corrette (1707–1795), born in Rouen, moved to Paris where he ‎had a long, very active musical ‎career. A prolific composer, he wrote many ‎stage works, con‎certos, chamber music, and organ pieces, ‎along with ‎sacred vocal works. Corrette also organized concerts and published his ‎own ‎music and that of ‎others. He wrote almost twenty method books for various instruments, which are an important source of ‎information about ‎‎18th ‎century instrumental techniques. Corrette published these pieces in ‎‎1734. There are four suites that include the traditional dances (allemande, ‎‎gigue, etc.) as well as pieces with evocative ‎titles in the fashion popular‎ized by François Couperin, along ‎with some that ‎show Italian influence. Although Corrette is not as well known as some ‎‎other French ‎Baroque composers, the music in this collection is attractive and deserves attention from players today. It ‎is generally not difficult, ‎making it accessi‎ble to most keyboardists.‎