This is a live recording of a concert given by Benjamin Alard on February 1, 2020, as part of a series entitled ‘The Couperins at the Harpsichord’, presented at the Fundación Juan March in Madrid. Alard plays a Franco-Flemish harpsichord by Keith Hill from 2001, based on an original model by Andreas Ruckers/Pascal Taskin (1646/1780). A native of Dieppe, Alard won the Bruges International Harpsichord Competition in 2004. Now organist of the Church of Saint-Louis-en-l’Île in Paris, he is involved with Harmonia Mundi in a project recording the complete solo keyboard works of Bach.

Alard’s understanding of and deep affinity with these three representatives of the Couperin dynasty is evident in his compelling realisation of the individual pieces, as well as the attractive juxtaposition of their varied affects. For Louis Couperin (c1626-1661) he has chosen seven pieces in A minor from the Bauyn Manuscript. They build towards the sixth of the series, the extraordinarily moving Tombeau de M de Blancrocher, a tribute to the lutenist who died in 1752 after falling down a staircase. One of the two Louis Couperin chaconnes on the programme concludes Alard’s beautifully constructed suite.

François Couperin ‘le Grand’ (1668-1733), Louis’s nephew, is represented by the eight Preludes and single Allemande of L’art de toucher le clavecin. These are followed by five pieces from the 14th ordre, of which Le rossignol-en-amour could scarcely be more charming and Les fauvettes plaintives is all but heartbreaking.

Three pieces by the son of François’s cousin, Armand-Louis (1727 89), are bursting with character and conclude with a grand and eloquent La Françoise. Perhaps François’s best-known work, Les barricades mystérieuses, and a second Chaconne of Louis serve as encores.

The 283-seat hall of the Fundación Juan March seems the perfect venue for music of this delicious intimacy. Both connoisseurs and newcomers will find a great deal to savour in this exquisitely conceived album.