"Louis Couperin: Unmeasured Prelude #9" genre: Baroque
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	This is a 17th Century unmeasured-prelude in free-form style (whole-notes only; no bar lines). The timing of individual notes is determined by the practice of the time plus clues given in the phrase-groupings. It was played while recorded via the small memory module of an electric Yamaha YPR9 piano, using a non-historic Vibes setting. Scans of the score pages are on http://andrys.com/couperin.html webpage, and links are also in the Main Section just above.
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	Story Behind the Song As this was written for harpsichord, I've used the approach for slower music on that instrument in that the bass is not usually struck at the same instant as the top notes, as it produces a hard thuddy sound on that instrument. Links to the sheet music for this, based on Thurston Dart's re-examination using the Bauyn manuscript, are on my Main mp3.com page, top section. You can also access that score via http://andrys.com/couperin.html ... Re the preludes of that time: According to Todd Billeci, "Until the early 17th century, preludes were not written down ... the prelude was purely improvisational, employed by performing artists to ready the hands, test hall acoustics and tuning, and announce the key of subsequently performed works. Thomas Mace wrote in 1675: ' The Prelude is commonly a Piece of Confused-wild-Shapeless-kind of Intricate-Play (as most use It) in which no perfect Form, Shape or Uniformity can be perceived; but a Random Business and Grooping, up and down from one stop or Key to another; and generally, so performed, to make Tryal, whether the Instrument be Well in Tune or not. ' ... Louis Couperin, Gaspard le Roux and D'Anglebert expounded upon this idea by writing unmeasured preludes with phrasing (legato) markings to suggest gestures while preserving the desired improvisationality."     - by Todd Billeci The puzzle aspect as well as the improvisatory elements appeal to me. This is, I caution, an almost cocktail-lounge vibraphone type rendition (via a Yamaha YPR9 electric piano's memory module) But I see the 17th Century composers as almost jazz-oriented by today's standards, and the vibes actually have more the bell-like quality of a flemish harpsichord than does the piano. These pieces sound nothing like 18th C. Baroque. The 17th C. folks were said to be "searching for tonality." The Unmeasured preludes are called this because there are no bar lines, no measures, and each note is written as a whole note. The preludes, prefacing normal, structured suites, are essentially improvisatory-style puzzles, re timing and how to structure the harmonic changes. We have plenty of clues, from the normal music of that period and from some phrase-grouping in the scores. The sheet music is linked on my main page, and it's definitely more interesting to follow the score while you hear this. Though I played this while it was recorded by the Yamaha keyboard's memory module in 1992 to try out the module, that was the last time I tried anything like this until now. I'm starting to use this space for some HausMusik as heard in a 20th Century home, and at least the rest of it will be on an actual acoustic piano, such as it is. Let me know if you find the score or sheet music interesting and had not heard anything from the 17th century previously. Or had, for that matter.

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