An important 18th-century instruction book Couperin s The Art of Playing the Harpsichord contains valuable information on technique fingering phrasing ornamentation and keyboard performance style. Halford s scholarly introduction includes a biographical sketch of the composer a thorough discussion of French Baroque ornamentation and a useful summary of Couperin s style. The eight preludes used by Couperin to illustrate his approach are musical gems rarely found in other collections.