Rameau

[Shosta]

This is one of the composers I have been learning in the last six months.
I usually don't like french music which i find very adorned but not deep emotions. But i discovered that this is just a prejudice i've got.

I started with harpsichord. Solo and concerts are fantastic. Easier the concerts.
I can recommend Blandine Rannou 4 discs set. Another impressive IMHO for the concerts is Rousset, Terakado, Uemura disc in Harmonia Mundi Musique D'abord.
Just almost as good as Rannou is Frederick Haas for the solo pieces.

Another fantastic work is Les boreades. I own an impressive DVD of OPUS ARTE where Les Arts Florissants conducted by William Christie give a lesson of rythm and emotion. Barbara Bonney and, specially IMO, Paul Agnew sing the roles with emotion and feeling.
The production is brilliant and the ballets are the best modern thing I saw. (I'm not a ballet lover but these of Human Steps made me 'rewind' the dvd three times).

And for the beginners (like me) another cd is Minkowsky 'Une Symphonie Imaginaire' where you can follow a suite of pieces of 'symphonic nature' taken of vocal works. The most 'easy to follow' music i bought recently.

In the near future i plan to listen to the Motets and Platee (the Minkowsky version too).
Someone is listening Rameau? Which are your favorite music or discs of this composer?

 

[Mark from HFR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shosta Someone is listening Rameau? Which are your favorite music or discs of this composer?

My favorite Rameau piece is the harpsichord work "Gavotte et six doubles". It is a formal but melancholy dance followed by six variations that get more and more exciting and powerful by the end. The best recording I ever heard was a 1960's LP by Ingrid Heiler, now out of print and hard to find. The best modern recording I've heard is the one by William Christie on Harmonia Mundi. Otto Klemperer made an interesting arrangement of the work for orchestra (which is available on one of EMI's "Klemperer Edition" CD's), but he never speeds up as the variations get livelier. It would be nice to hear some conductor take up Klemperer's arrangement and perform it with gradually accelerating tempo. That would make it into a very intense concert piece!

 

[Shosta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark from HFR My favorite Rameau piece is the harpsichord work "Gavotte et six doubles". It is a formal but melancholy dance followed by six variations that get more and more exciting and powerful by the end.

I know the work. It's from the Suites of 1728. Of the same mood is the 'Premiere et deuxieme sarabande' of the 'Premier livre 1706'. Rannou make a detailed and slow performance (but with deep emotion).
My favorite in the concerts is 'La Livri' of the first concert. I like the Rousset performance.

 

[lionel marechal]

Just listened in the last days pieces on Piano played par Marcelle Meyer, A french pianist (woman). It is just so wonderfull and a spendid mono from 54 I believe.
In a recent complete article regarding rameau and an extensive discography, 'Le Monde De La Musique' mentioned those recordings as the best one, regardless of the instrument , piano or harpsichord.
I highly recommend them.
Her scarlatti recording are excellent as well. Both Rameau and Scarlatti by her have that freshness and spontaneity that is just magic.
Lionel