Nationality in music is an elusive quality, going far deeper than interest in folk-music (which seems to be looked upon by some people as the on)y halt-mark of 'nationalism'). It is almost impossible to say just what it is that is so essentially French in the charming, delicate art of Francois Couperin. We only know that we recognise it again in the music of Debussy and Rave! two centuries later—and nowhere else.