Foucquet: Pieces de Clavecin

- Pierre-Claude Foucquet (1694-1772) was a French organist and harpsichordist. He was born in Paris, into a family of well-known musicians. At age 18, he was appointed as the organist at Saint Honoré church in Paris. Following this appointment he was the organist in several important churches: the Royal Abbey of St Victor (destroyed during the French Revolution), the St Eustache church, the Chapel Royal where he succeeded François d'Agincourt (1758), and the Notre-Dame Cathedral.

- In his three books of harpsichord works, “Pièces de Clavecin” one hears the influences of the French clavecinistes tradition, with its emphasis on ornamentation, rhythmic vitality, and stylized dance forms. At the same time, Foucquet's unique voice emerges, characterized by inventive harmonic progressions and a penchant for melodic lyricism.

- Played on a French harpsichord after Blanchet (1754) built by C. Caponi (1985) by Fernando De Luca, one of Italy’s foremost harpsichord players. He recorded to great critical acclaim the complete keyboard works by Graupner, Jollage, Dufour and Moyreau, published by Brilliant Classics. His recording of works by Jollage received 5 stars in the French Diapason.

Pierre-Claude Foucquet (1694-1772)

•  Foucquet: Les caractères de la paix, Op. 1
•  Foucquet: Pièces de clavecin, Book 2
•  Foucquet: Pièces de Clavecin, Book 3