Credits:

Clement Geoffroy

Description:

[The Height of Harpsichord Artistry at the Palace of Versailles, Between the Baroque and Classical Periods!]Although not quite as prominent as his predecessor, the Sun King Louis XIV, Louis XV reigned as King of France for nearly 60 years. During his reign (17151774), while the French style that had taken root in the 17th century continued to captivate the public, foreign musical cultures flowed into France to an extent unimaginable under the Sun King, and the particularly dazzling sounds of the Rococo era enchanted the royal court and the people of Paris. Although the king himself showed little interest in music, he was surrounded by many women who were music loversincluding Queen Leszinska, Madame de Pompadour, and the princesseswho cultivated their artistic sensibilities through close interactions with leading composers. As a result, a steady stream of solo pieces for the harpsichord, in