Feast of Ideas Week 3 - Francois Couperin

As we move forward in time, we tip-toe our way into the Baroque Era. Francois Couperin is a French composer, harpsichordist, and organist. He had a very distinct French style, elevating country music and resisting foreign influences in his compositions. Couperin also wrote out specific instructions on how to perform his music and could be quite persnickety if people didn’t follow his notes!

"I am always surprised (after the care I have taken to indicate the ornaments appropriate to my pieces, about which I have given, separately, a sufficiently clear explanation in a Method under the title The Art of Playing the Harpsichord) to hear people who have learned them without following the correct method. It is an unpardonable negligence, especially since it is not at the discretion of the players to place such ornaments where they want them. I declare, therefore, that my pieces must be played according to how I have marked them, and that they will ever make a true impression on people of real taste unless played exactly as I have marked them, neither more nor less." ~History of Music

So in honor of Couperin and his detailed instructions, here are the steps for studying Couperin this week in your home…

1) Download the Composer Study Activity Packet (CLICK HERE)

2) Gather needed materials such as books, food, artwork, computer links, music (This week’s RECIPE is Palmiers - a super easy 3 ingredient French Cookie)

3) Complete activities throughout the week (can do as many or as few as you want). Open up YouTube and search for Couperin, have the music playing in the background as you complete the activities each day.

Day 1

  • Listen to Song while coloring the doodle page

    Eat the food from their country while reading the living book

  • Discuss & cut out the concurrent people, places, inventions, and events that occurred during the composer’s lifetime.  Paste onto Map page. 

Day 2

  • Complete the Sequencing worksheet

  • Geography

    • Draw the country of the composer or work on drawing your continent

    • Read French Fairy Tales like Little Red Riding Hood

Day 3

  • Complete the Copywork Worksheet

  • Art - Rembrandt

    • Read aloud a living book about the artist (Rembrandt by Daric Bailer)

    • Create your own artwork or look at Rembrandt’s artwork while listening to the music

Day 4

  • Complete Braille Decoding worksheet

  • Science

    • Read aloud a living book about Isaac Newton (You Wouldn’t Want to be Sir Isaac Newton! A Lonely Life You’d Rather Not Lead)

    • Watch this Video about Newton’s Life

Day 5

  • Complete the Rhythm Matching worksheet

  • History

    • Read aloud: The Music of Life: Bartolomeo Cristofori and the Invention of the Piano (Check out LINK)

    • Ask for a narration

Week 3 - Francois Couperin

Click HERE to Learn More about Couperin

Here are links to the music to listen by Couperin

 
 
 
 
Beth Smith