This article lists French composers who wrote for the harpsichord during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Chronology

1640–1710: Beginnings of harpsichord music in France

Jean-Henri d'Anglebert Jean-Henri d'Anglebert ( baptized 1 April 1629 – 23 April 1691) was a French composer, harpsichordist and organist. He was one of the foremost keyboard composers of his day. Life D'Anglebert's father Claude Henry known as AnglebertJean const ...

(1629–1691) *

Jacques Champion de Chambonnières Jacques Champion de Chambonnières (Jacques Champion, commonly referred to as Chambonnières) (c. 1601/2 – 1672) was a French harpsichordist, dancer and composer. Born into a musical family, Chambonnières made an illustrious career as court ha ...

(1601–1672) *

Louis Couperin Louis Couperin (; – 29 August 1661) was a French Baroque composer and performer. He was born in Chaumes-en-Brie and moved to Paris in 1650–1651 with the help of Jacques Champion de Chambonnières. Couperin worked as organist of the C ...

(c.1626–1661) *

Louis-Nicolas Clérambault Louis-Nicolas Clérambault (19 December 1676 – 26 October 1749) was a French musician, best known as an organist and composer. He was born, and died, in Paris. Biography Clérambault came from a musical family (his father and two of his sons ...

(1676–1749) * Charles Dieupart (1667–1740) *

Jean-Nicolas Geoffroy Jean-Nicolas Geoffroy (1633 – 11 March 1694) was a French harpsichordist, organist and composer.The registration of baroque organ music Barbara Owen - 1997 "Jean-Nicolas Geoffrey (fl. 1633-94)" His birthplace is unknown; he died in Perpigna ...

(1633–1694) *

Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre Élisabeth Claude Jacquet de La Guerre (, née Jacquet, 17 March 1665 – 27 June 1729) was a French musician, harpsichordist and composer. Life and works Élisabeth-Claude Jacquet de La Guerre (née Jacquet) was born on March 17, 1665, into a ...

(1665–1729) *

Nicolas Lebègue Nicolas-Antoine Lebègue (also ''Le Bègue''; c. 16316 July 1702) was a French Baroque composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was born in Laon and in the 1650s settled in Paris, quickly establishing himself as one of the best organists of the ...

(1631–1702) * Gaspard Le Roux (1660–1707) *

Louis Marchand Louis Marchand (2 February 1669 – 17 February 1732) was a French Baroque organist, harpsichordist, and composer. Born into an organist's family, Marchand was a child prodigy and quickly established himself as one of the best known French vi ...

(1669–1732) *

Nicolas Siret Nicolas Siret (3 March 1663 – 22 June 1754) was a French baroque composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was born and died in Troyes, France, where he worked as organist in the Church of Saint Jean and the Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Pau ...

(1663–1754)

1710–1789: Second period

Claude-Bénigne Balbastre Claude Balbastre (8 December 1724 – 9 May 1799) was a French composer, organist, harpsichordist and fortepianist. He was one of the most famous musicians of his time. Life Claude Balbastre was born in Dijon in 1724. Although his exact birthdat ...

(1724–1799) *

Joseph Bodin de Boismortier Joseph Bodin de Boismortier (23 December 1689 – 28 October 1755) was a French baroque composer of instrumental music, cantatas, opéra-ballets, and vocal music. Boismortier was one of the first composers to have no patrons: having obtained a ro ...

(1689–1755) *

François d'Agincourt François d'Agincourt (also d'Agincour, Dagincourt, Dagincour) (1684 – 30 April 1758) was a French harpsichordist, organist, and composer. He spent most of his life in Rouen, his native city, where he worked as organist of the Rouen Cathedra ...

(1684–1758) *

Jean-Odéo Demars Jean-Odéo Demars, born in Sézanne (France), 2 February 1695, died in Paris, 7 November 1756, was an 18th-century French organist, composer and harpsichordist. In 1726, he became organist at the Saint-Jacques-la-Boucherie church in Paris. Later, ...

(1695–1756) *

Josse Boutmy Josse Boutmy (1 February 1697 – 27 November 1779) was a composer, organist and harpsichordist of the Austrian Netherlands who established himself in Brussels. Background Boutmy was born in Ghent. He was born into a musical family; his grandfath ...

(1697–1779; Flemish) *

Bernard de Bury Bernard de Bury or Buri (20 August 1720 – 19 November 1785) was a French musician and court composer of the late Baroque era. Biography Bernard de Bury was born at Versailles, a member of a family of musicians, many of whom had appointments to t ...

(1720–1785) *

Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville Jean-Joseph de Mondonville (, 25 December 1711 (baptised) – 8 October 1772), also known as Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville, was a French violinist and composer. He was a younger contemporary of Jean-Philippe Rameau and enjoyed great suc ...

(1711–1772) *

Michel Corrette Michel Corrette (10 April 1707 – 21 January 1795) was a French composer, organist and author of musical method books. Life Corrette was born in Rouen, Normandy. His father, Gaspard Corrette, was an organist and composer. Little is known of ...

(1707–1795) *

Armand-Louis Couperin Armand-Louis Couperin (25 February 17272 February 1789) was a French composer, organist, and harpsichordist of the late Baroque and early Classical periods. He was a member of the Couperin family of musicians, of which the most notable were hi ...

(1727–1789) * François Couperin (1668–1733) *

Jean-François Dandrieu Jean-François Dandrieu, also spelled D'Andrieu (c. 168217 January 1738) was a French Baroque composer, harpsichordist and organist. Biography He was born in Paris into a family of artists and musicians. A gifted and precocious child, he gave hi ...

(1681–1738) *

Louis-Claude Daquin Louis-Claude Daquin (or D'Aquino, d'Aquin, d'Acquin; July 4, 1694 – June 15, 1772) was a French composer, writing in the Baroque and Galant styles. He was a virtuoso organist and harpsichordist. Life Louis-Claude Daquin was born in Paris to a f ...

(1694–1772) *

Louis-Antoine Dornel Louis-Antoine Dornel (30 March 1680 in Presles, Val-d'Oise near (Beaumont-sur-Oise) – 22 July 1757) was a French composer, harpsichordist, organist and violinist. Biography Dornel was probably taught by the organist Nicolas Lebègue. He was ...

(1680–1756) *

Jacques Duphly Jacques Duphly (also Dufly, Du Phly; 12 January 1715 – 15 July 1789) was a French harpsichordist and composer. Early career as an organist He was born in Rouen, France, the son of Jacques-Agathe Duphly and Marie-Louise Boivin. As a boy, h ...

(1715–1789) *

Pierre Février Pierre Février (21 March 1696 – 5 November 1760) was a French baroque composer, organist and harpsichordist. Biography Born in Abbeville in 1696, he arrived in Paris in 1720 and served as titular organist of two churches on Saint-Honoré stre ...

(1696–1760) *

Jean-Baptiste Forqueray __NOTOC__ Jean-Baptiste Forqueray (3 April 1699 – 28 June 1782), the son of Antoine Forqueray, was a player of the viol and a composer. Forqueray was born in Paris. He is most famous today for his 1747 publication of twenty-nine pieces fo ...

(1699–1782) *

Pierre-Claude Foucquet Pierre-Claude Foucquet (1694 – February 13, 1772) was a French organist and harpsichordist. Foucquet was born in Paris, the son of Pierre Foucquet and Anna-Barbe Domballe. He was born into a family of musicians. At age 18, he was appointed as ...

(1694–1772) * Jean-Adam Guilain (1680–1739; German) * Célestin Harst (1698–1778) * Christophe Moyreau (1690–1772) * Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683–1764) * Joseph Nicolas Pancrace Royer (1705–1755) * Simon Simon (1720?–1788) * Philippe-François Véras (fl. 1740) {{DEFAULTSORT:French harpsichordists

Harpsichordists Musicians who play the harpsichord are known as harpsichordists. This list includes post 19th-century harpsichordists. Notable earlier harpsichordists mostly appear on the list of Baroque composers. A * Abraham Abreu * Isolde Ahlgrimm * Rina ...