Music
Duphly started publishing books of original harpsichord music in 1744. His popularity continued to increase into the 1760s, and he published more volumes of harpsichord music. His four harpsichord collections (1744–68) are modelled chiefly on Rameau's. Book 3 (1758) includes a long, brilliant chaconne and a savage tirade, La Médée. In all, he published four volumes of harpsichord music (1744, 1748, 1756 and 1768). Book 4 of his harpsichord music contains the enchanting (and still regularly played today) rondeau, 'La Pothouin'.
Friedrich Wilhelm Marpurg remarked (in 1754) that Duphly, a pupil of Dagincourt, plays the harpsichord only, in order, as he says, "not to spoil his hand with the organ. He lives in Paris, where he instructs the leading families." His reputation seems to have reached its peak in the 1750s and 60s. Marpurg's ‘Raccolta delle piu nuove composizioni di clavicembalo, ii’ (1757), contains a pair of rondeaux from Duphly's first book. In 1764 Walsh brought out an edition of his second book; in 1765 the 20-year-old Richard Fitzwilliam was studying with him. That year Pascal Taskin, the harpsichord maker, reckoned 'Dufly' among the best teachers in Paris, along with Armand-Louis Couperin, Balbastre and Le Grand. The article on fingering in Rousseau's Dictionnaire (1768) contains rules which the author presents 'with confidence, because I have them from M Duphli, excellent harpsichord teacher who possesses above all perfection in fingering' (though either Duphly or Rousseau overlooked the fact that these 'rules' were lifted word for word from Rameau's, in his Pieces de clavecin of 1724). The titles and dedications of Duphly pieces show him to have been a part of the inner circle of professional and aristocratic connoisseurs; yet he seems to have been unambitious and content with a simple and modest life of teaching and playing.
Rousseau asked him to contribute to his dictionary, for articles relating to the art of playing the harpsichord.
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