L'Apothéose de Lully

Couperin, however, wanted to accomplish a réunion des goûts: reconciling the national distinctions of style, tradition, and forms of interpretations that differed between France and Italy.

"[2] Despite hailing from a large family of French musicians, Couperin is credited with bringing the trio sonata form, greatly developed in Italy by Arcangelo Corelli, to France.

Louis Hüe, who engraved the 1725 publication, recommended performing the Apotheosis with two harpsichords, saying that "I find it is often easier to bring these two instruments together, than four people" (i.e. two violinists, a cellist or violist, and a harpsichordist).

Mercury's descent, with quick notes in the treble lines, is characteristic of Lully's own techniques for composing Zephyr and windlike passages.

Corelli and the Italian Muses welcome him in typical Italian Baroque style: instead of writing lentement to indicate the tempo, Couperin writes the Italian largo; the movement is instructed to be played with Notes égales, et marquées (with equal and marked notes), instead of with the lightly-swung feeling typical of French Baroque music; even the clef of the treble instruments is changed from the French, where the Note G is on the bottom line of the staff, to the standard clef favored in Italy where G is one line higher.