Couperin, Louis (c. 1626-1661)

French composer, harpsichordist, and organist. He is regarded as one of the finest keyboard composers of the 17th century; among his 215 surviving pieces are allemandes, courantes, sarabandes, chaconnes, and pascailles for harpsichord, preludes, fugues, and plainsong versets for organ, and fantaisies for chamber ensemble.

His father, Charles Couperin (c. 1595-1654), was a musician. Louis was sponsored by Jacques Chambonnières, a court musician, and was active in Paris from at least 1651; in 1653 he became the first member of his family to hold the organist's post at Saint-Gervais. He was a treble viol player at court and took part in several ballet performances, including Psyché (1656).