Sonade from L’Impériale, Les Nations (Troiseieme Ordre)

Sonade from L’Impériale, Les Nations (Troisieme Ordre)

Gravement – Vivement – Gravement et marque – Legerement – Rondement – Vivement

Taking inspiration from other styles of music has been, and is to this day, an integral part of composition and performance. The French composer François Couperin was no different, and was one of the pioneering forces when it came to exploring the Italian style of the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Couperin’s early trio sonatas clearly show this influence of the Italian style, most obviously in the Italianate title of ‘Sonade’ rather than the typical French ‘Suite’. These sonatas date back to the early 1690’s and are said to have been directly inspired by Arcangelo Corelli’s first set of trio sonatas dating from the 1680’s.

Les Nations, published in 1726 includes four of these sonatas; reworked, retitled and extended with a series of dance movements. The Sonade from L’Imperial, can be traced back to an earlier version under the title of La Convalescente. The opening Sonade prefaces a selection of nine dances that completes the Troisième Ordre, and beautifully combines the French and Italian styles with its elegant French ornaments alongside the florid and abundant semiquaver runs.

– Flavia Hirte