Jane Clark

Derek F. Connon

The titles of François Couperin's harpsichord pieces have puzzled generations of players and listeners. Many refer to theatrical spectacles; others are portraits, sympathetic or satirical, of characters in the composer's circle--courtiers, aristocrats, musicians, actors and actresses. This book opens a door into Couperin's world. Jane Clark introduces us to some of the characters that inhabit the Pièces de Clavecin, whose lives, sometimes dramatic and even scandalous, are illustrated by quotations from contemporary letters, songs and satirical epigrams. Derek Connon explores the literary and theatrical world in which the composer moved, particularly the rival French and Italian Comédies, the latter with its links to the improvised Commedia dell' Arte. The heart of the book is an analytic catalogue of the individual movements from all 27 Ordres, explaining what is known about the meaning of each title. Even to the composer's contemporaries, not every reference was transparent: where mysteries remain, alternative possible explanations are presented here. The Mirror of Human Life was first published by King's Music in 2002. This Keyword Press edition incorporates new facts that have emerged since, particularly about Couperin's connections with the theatre; it includes a new essay by Jane Clark on the architecture of the Ordres, and some striking illustrations from contemporary sources [Publisher description]

Reflections on François Couperin's Pièces de Clavecin

The Mirror of Human Life

Michael Cardy

This book assembles fifteen essays by different hands on dramatic literature written in French in the twentieth century. The great majority of the essays deal with plays published after 1939. Each chapter is an original study of aspects of the work of a given author that have been overlooked or inadequately treated in the scholarly literature to date. Most of the greatest French dramatists of the century are represented in the volume, although several of the authors studied are not primarily known for their contributions to dramatic literature, while the inclusion of a 'provincial' playwright and of two Québécois dramatists seeks to surprise readers by reminding them that Paris does not enjoy a total monopoly on French-speaking theatre. The book has as its primary aim to illustrate the vitality and the sheer variety of drama written in French during the century.

Aspects of Twentieth-century Theatre in French

Alexis Piron (1689-1773) was one of the most renowned humorists of eighteenth-century France, his rapier wit feared even by Voltaire. As a playwright, he was one of the most versatile of the period, writing for both the official French and Italian theatres and the unofficial troupes of the Parisian Fairs. Although, like those of most of his contemporaries, his plays have disappeared from the repertoire, La Metromanie, the comedy in which he brings to the stage his mockery of Voltaire, has always been known and enjoyed on the page. More recent interest in popular culture is leading to increased appreciation of his anarchic creations for the Fairs too, and he also wrote, in Gustave Wasa, one of the most popular tragedies of his time. Derek Connon examines the themes and dramatic techniques of the plays of this fascinating and entertaining author.

Derek F. Connon

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