pièce croisée

music

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Last updated

July 1, 2026

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The term "pièce croisée" refers to a specific type of music that can only be played on a two-manual instrument, such as a harpsichord. This music involves separate melodic lines that cross and recross within the same pitch range, often using the same notes simultaneously or in quick succession. These interwoven parts cannot be clearly distinguished on a single manual or on two manuals that are not completely independent. The solution for playing such pieces was developed in France in the 1640s, involving a mechanism that allowed the two keyboards to be coupled or uncoupled.1

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Couplers
Called in French the pièce croisée, this kind of music involves separate lines that cross and recross in the same range, frequently employing the same note either simultaneously or in close succession. The parts in such pieces cannot be distinguished when played on a single manual, and they cannot…
Read More
Called in French the pièce croisée, this kind of music involves separate lines that cross and recross in the same range, frequently employing the same note either simultaneously or in close succession. The parts in such pieces cannot be distinguished when played on a single manual, and they cannot…
Read More