Louis-Claude Daquin, born July 4, 1694, was a French Baroque and Galant composer, organist, and harpsichordist from Paris. A child prodigy, Daquin performed for the court of Louis XIV at age six and conducted his choral work “Beatus Vir” at age eight. He became the organist at the Sainte-Chapelle at age 12 and later at the Church of Petit Saint Antoine. In 1727, Daquin was appointed organist at the Church of Saint Paul, a position he won over Jean-Philippe Rameau. He succeeded Louis Marchand at the Church of the Cordeliers in 1732 and became organist to Louis XV at the Chapelle Royale in 1739. Daquin published the Premier livre de pièces de clavecin (1735), which included the imitative piece “Le Coucou”. He was named titular organist at Notre-Dame Cathedral in 1755 and published the Nouveau livre de noëls around 1757. Daquin died in Paris on June 15, 1772.
