Armand-Louis Couperin (b. Paris, 25th February 1727 – d. Paris, 2nd February 1789) dedicated his second set of harpsichord pieces to a young girl, specifically a pupil named Anne-Louise-Marie de Beauvau-Craon (1750–1834). At the time, she was receiving a high-quality education at the Port-Royal convent, including music lessons from Couperin himself.

The publication of Couperin’s Sonates en pièces de clavecin marked the end of a fifteen-year hiatus in the composer’s production since the 1751 publication of the first book of Pièces de clavecin, dedicated to Madame Victoire de France. The preface emphasises the author’s integrity and discretion, acknowledging the public’s judgment while striving for innovation.

Sonates en pièces de clavecin provides insight into Couperin’s approach: renewing the French style by incorporating Italian elements. This involved naturalising the Italian sonata’s novelties within the tradition of the French clavecinistes, creating a synthesis that reconciled head and heart. Couperin achieved this by combining the resources of a harpsichord with a violin, resulting in a blend of orchestral force and vivacity with the grace of varied melodies.