Rameau (1683-1764) Premier Livre De Pièces De Clavecin (1706)
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Jean-Philippe Rameau Pièces de Clavecin Volume 1 Steven Devine harpsichord RES10131 Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764) Premier Livre de Pièces de Clavecin (1706) Pièces de Clavecin Suite in A minor Suite in D minor/major 1. Prélude [2:21] 19. Les Tendres Plaintes (Rondeau) [3:45] Volume 1 2. Allemande I [5:28] 20. Les Niais de Sologne (with 2 doubles) [6:16] 3. Allemande II [2:09] 21. Les Soupirs [5:20] 4. Courante [2:01] 22. La Joyeuse (Rondeau) [1:23] 5. Gigue [2:46] 23. La Follette (Rondeau) [1:33] Steven Devine harpsichord 6. Sarabande I & II [3:24] 24. L’Entretien des Muses [6:13] 7. Vénitienne [1:54] 25. Les Tourbillons (Rondeau) [2:59] 8. Gavotte [1:36] 26. Les Cyclopes (Rondeau) [3:47] 9. Menuet [1:27] 27. Le Lardon [0:55] Performed on a copy by Ian Tucker of a double-manual harpsichord 28. La Boiteuse [0:52] by Andreas Ruckers of Antwerp (1636) with ravalement by Henri Hemsch of Paris (1763) Pièces de Clavessin (1724) 29. Menuet en rondeau [1:01] Suite in E minor 10. Allemande [4:15] Total playing time [79:27] 11. Courante [1:34] 12. Gigue en rondeau I [1:13] 13. Gigue en rondeau II [2:11] 14. Le Rappel des Oiseaux [3:39] 15. Rigaudon I & II (with double) [1:51] About Steven Devine 16. Musette en rondeau [2:29] 17. Tambourin [1:18] ‘[...] he [Devine] exercises restraint, but his muscular style is remarkably expressive.’ 18. La Villageoise (Rondeau) [3:34] The Independent ‘[...] this account by Steven Devine [...] is scrupulous [...] his playing is adroit and his attention to every detail of the ornamentation punctilious’ The Guardian Jean-Phillipe Rameau: old-fashioned: for example, unmeasured Pièces de Clavecin Volume 1 preludes feature very little in musical literature after this collection. At the time of the publication of the first collection of harpsichord pieces (also his In 1722, Rameau published his Traité de earliest known compositions), Jean-Phillipe l'’armonie; a work which proved divisive Rameau (1683-1764) was in Paris and amongst musicians, theorists and had just succeeded Louis Marchand intellectuals. It gained Rameau many as organist at the Collège Louis-le-Grand. friends and brought his theories to a wider Marchand’s first two books of harpsichord audience. One critic, Louis-Bertrand works were published in 1702, four years Castel, wrote extremely enthusiastically earlier than Rameau’s. The similarities of this work at the time – and may have are striking: an improvisatory prelude been partly responsible for the work’s begins both Marchand’s and Rameau’s large dissemination. However, Castel’s Suites and the remaining dance movements feelings towards Rameau cooled over the follow not only a common pattern but next ten years and, around 1735, he wrote share many textural and harmonic that Rameau had failed to acknowledge similarities as well. Rameau’s suite opens the help that others had given him in his with a prelude non-mesuré which quickly compositional researches. One such gives way to a firm rhythmic 12/8 example of this was Castel’s claim to movement. The two Allemandes are have introduced Rameau to transcriptions differentiated by their notation, the of birdsong – which form the basis of a first with four beats to the bar, the number of Rameau’s harpsichord works. second in the rarer two. The remaining The collections of 1724 – two suites of movements are rather more ‘standard’ much greater proportions than the 1706 but already Rameau’s melodic gift set – mark an interesting midway shows through – some 30 years before point between the ‘classic’ French Suite Steven Devine he applied himself to the vocal genre of dances and the increasingly in earnestness. This collection was programmatic collections appearing re-published in 1741, presumably to from François Couperin (Couperin’s first satisfy the demand for works from the three books of ordres had appeared increasingly-famous composer. Much between the Rameau’s first two of this music must have then seemed harpsichord publications). Thus, in the E minor pieces, we see ‘classic’ dance head of the collection – along with a charming movements at the opening (Allemande, Menuet en Rondea (track 29), which is Courante, Gigue) followed by Le rappel also intended as a guide to fingering. des Oiseaux – the first ‘birdsong’ piece, although the wistful texture and In Les Niais de Sologne (Fools or Simpletons harmony suggest a melancholy of Sologne – Sologne being a swamp recollection rather than direct imitation. region South of Paris) the composer Characterful dance pieces follow with utilises the Renaissance concept of more wistful harmonies in the Musette dividing the figuration in successive en Rondeau and La Vilageoise and strong, iterations and creates a show-piece for textural writing in the Tamborin. the left hand in the second of its two variations. The preceding variation is a By the time the collection moves to the rare example of written triplets against key-centre of D the music entirely written duplets; the marking ‘notes égales’ comprises programmatic or character at the top of the whole piece may offer pieces. Some commentators have a clue as to execution: the prevailing suggested that Rameau was less aesthetic of the time was to play this interested in exploring innovative figuration of music with gently ‘swung’ harpsichord sonorities yet there is quavers or semiquavers (depending a huge range of variety throughout on the context), somewhat in the this volume and Rameau does not manner of modern jazz players. According hesitate to explore the extremes of to this style, if quavers and semiquavers the keyboard compass for dramatic were written simultaneously, the quavers effect. Of the slower music Les Tendres would be altered to synchronise with Plaintes and Les Soupirs are much the triplets (effectively made ‘long – short’). more direct in their emotion than the Rameau’s instruction at the top of this slower E minor pieces. The latter is also piece could have been an indication to outstanding for the very precise notation players who would have expected to with regard to ornamentation – slurs synchronise this variation to play it combined with the ornament Rameau literally with even quavers. This is the calls cadence give a distinct delayed feel solution I have adopted for this recording. to the beat. Rameau very helpfully supplies a table of ornaments at the After La Joyeuse and La Follette, two charming pieces in Rondeau form, comes L’entretien Leçon étoient disjointes, cela s’ Des Muses (The Muses’ entreaties): a appelleroit Batterie... il y a deux [] wonderful, pathos-filled movement sortes de batteries, don’t ou trouvera which makes particular use of a ‘delaying’ l’éxemple dans la piece intitulée Les Cyclopes: dans l’une de ces ornament Rameau describes as batteries, les mains font entr’elles suspension which imparts a hesitant le movement consecutive des deux feel to repetitious long notes. baguettes d’un tambour; & dans l’autre, la main gauche passé pardessus la The whirlwind figuration of Les Tourbillons droite, pour toucher is given a charming description by Rameau alternativement la Basse & le Dessus. Je crois que ces [] batteries me son as depicting swirls of dust being agitated particulaires, du moins il n’en a point by strong winds – a picture that takes on encore paru de la sorte; & je puis slightly alarming proportions in the dire en leur faveur que l’œil y partage second reprise as the wind appears to le plaisir qu’en reçoit l’oreille become even stronger! This piece is followed by Les Cyclopes, possibly [When one passes quickly over the notes of the lesson, this is called a inspired by the one-eyed monster Roulement and if the notes of this featuring in a 1722 Paris revival lesson were disjointed that would be of Lully's Persée. Two small pieces called a Batterie... There are two [] sorts complete the collection; it is possible of batteries, examples of which may be they were designed for a different found in the piece entitled Les Cyclopes: in position in the sequence of pieces, but one the hands between them make the consecutive movement of two drumsticks, here they are given in the printed order. whilst in the other the left hand passes over the right to play alternatively the bass Les Tourbillons and Les Cyclopes contain and treble. I believe that these [] virtuoso technical demands which are batteris never appeared before; and I might add in their favour that not only Double-manual harpsichord by Ian Tucker of an instrument by Andreas Ruckers of Antwerp (1636) highlighted in the enlightening preface. Rameau describes the specific the ear but also the eye derives pleasure with ravalement by Henri Hemsch of Paris (1763) from them.]. figurations as Roulement and Batterie . Lorsqu’on passé avec vitesse les Of particular interest in the preface is notes de la Leçon, cle as’appelle Rameau’s description of a basic approach to Roulement, & si les notes de cette play the harpsichord: Du doigt par lequel on a commance, For this recording, the instrument chosen on passé à son voisin, & ainsi de l’un was a copy, by Ian Tucker, of a double-manual à l’autre; en observant que celui qui harpsichord originally made by Andreas vient d’enforcer une touché, la quitte Ruckers of Antwerp in 1636. These dans la meme instant que son voisin en enfonce une autre: car le lever d’une instruments were highly prized for their doigt & le toucher d’un autre doivent tone and workmanship and frequently être executes dans la meme moment. they were ‘updated’ by later makers to increase the compass and sometimes [From the finger that you start, pass to the dynamic possibilities.