Charles Noblet (1715–1769), was a leading organist and harpsichordist in mid eighteenth-century Paris. He served several Parisian churches as organist and became resident harpsichordist first at the school of singing attached to the Opera and finally harpsichordist for the Opera orchestra itself. As a teacher of keyboard instruments, he was much sought-after and had several distinguished pupils. He was active as a composer of chamber cantatas, several of which survive, and of sacred vocal music. He also composed music for the organ, but committed none of it to print. Fortunately, he brought out in 1757 a collection of keyboard music that survives: this comprises three suites for harpsichord and three sonatas scored for harpsichord plus ‘accompanying’ violin.

These little-known suites are in the tradition of Rameau’s Nouvelles Suites de pièces de clavecin. Their attractive and colourful pieces are very varied in content, with many original and piquant touches. Largely French in style and containing the usual mixture of dance movements and character pieces, they occasionally betray Italian influence, including the hand-crossing popularized by Scarlatti.

 Music example Suite 1 (pdf)
 Music example Suite 2 (pdf)
 Music example Suite 3 (pdf)