François Couperin Concert Royal No. 4 Prélude 00:00 Allemande 01:14 Courante française 03:02 Courante à l'italienne 05:16 Sarabande 07:38 Rigaudon 10:52 Forlane en rondeau 12:19
The Concerts Royaux (Royal Concerts) are four suites composed by François Couperin for the French court of Louis XIV between 1714 and 1715 – hence the qualifier \"royal\". Composed while chamber music concerts were in vogue, they are intended for listening more than dancing. They were published in 1722 without indication of instrumentation; therefore, the same piece can be played by solo harpsichord or by an ensemble with a bass instrument, a violin, a viol, and an oboe or a flute. […] Each concert is composed of a prelude and a succession of dances in the traditional order (allemande, sarabande or courante, followed by other dances.)