Conversation so far:
What kind of instrumental music did Jean-Philippe Rameau make?
Jean-Philippe Rameau was a master of the 18th-century French school of harpsichord music.
Who else confined their compositions to the dance suite mold in the early 18th century in France?
François Couperin's compositions adhered to the relatively fixed dance-suite mold as had Jean-Philippe Rameau's.
Did Jean-Philippe Rameau work with François Couperin?
Jean-Philippe Rameau and François Couperin did not know one another, as Rameau achieved fame only after Couperin's death.

Question: When did Rameau begin composing instrumental music?
Self-contained rewrite: When did Jean-Philippe Rameau begin composing instrumental music?