Portraits of Music

Everyone is aware of the many “portraits of music” that were composed in France during the Baroque period. It was a wonderful custom for great composers who respected each other to send each other portraits. François Couperin and Antoine Forqueray are the first who come to mind. “La Forqueray” is a work of great elegance. In the first piece of the seventeenth suite in Book III, he used Allemande to paint the portrait of Forqueray. The score says “Fierement (proudly)”. In contrast, Forqueray’s “La Couperin” is a very rough piece for a piece called “Noblement (nobly)”. The low notes played by the viol resembles the steps of a giant. Rameau and Forqueray also give each other portraits. Rameau composed “La Forqueray” for the Clavecin Concert, with a fugue manner. Forqueray’s “La Rameau” bears the note “majestueusement (majestic)”. #baroque #couperin #forqueray #rameau #片山俊幸