Rameau keyboard music, 13.5.12

[Nick Armstrong]

Was this a repeat? It doesn't seem to have raised any interest here. I listened to it this morning, and got a lot out of hearing different approaches to this music, juxtaposed.

It reminded me of probably my first exposure to 'early music' performance, viz. Rameau's Gigue en Rondeau II from the E minor Suite (1724) played on harpsichord (I don't think my parents had any harpsichord recordings). The reason I knew it was the addition in 1973 of a splendidly funky item to Nottingham City Centre, and in retrospect, it was remarkably 'switched on' of the city fathers of Nottingham: the recording accompanied the chiming every quarter-hour of Roland
Emmett's Water Clock in the Victoria Centre there.

The clock now looks like a classic bit of 70s psychadelic whimsy - as does its official name, Emmett's Aqua Horological Tintinnabulator

But the Rameau was haunting. According to Wikipedia, there hasn't been any music since the 1990s Here's a video of the "Horological Tintinnabulator" from 1993 where the Rameau can just be heard from around 1' 30"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgGfm9laSv8&feature=related

I wonder who was performing the Rameau - there can't have been many performances on harpsichord around in 1973, I imagine....

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

it is a truly remarkable object for contemplation ....

here is Marcelle Meyer on piano

[vinteuil]

I love Marcelle Meyer - and any serious Ramellian will want to have her recordings on his or her shelves : but she should not be taken as a succedaneum for the real thing - yes, get the recordings - but only in addition to some good harpsichord performances (Christophe Rousset, Scott Ross, Kenneth Gilbert, Pieter Jan Belder are all more than good)

[Nick Armstrong]

I love Marcelle Meyer - and any serious Ramellian will want to have her recordings on his or her shelves : but she should not be taken as a succedaneum for the real thing - yes, get the recordings - but only in addition to some good harpsichord performances (Christophe Rousset, Scott Ross, Kenneth Gilbert, Pieter Jan Belder are all more than good)

Might you know the answer to the question implicit in the last sentence of my OP, vinmousseux?

[MickyD]

I think a very young Trevor Pinnock recorded all the Rameau keyboard pieces on authentic instruments in the mid-1970s for CRD, then Kenneth Gilbert did them for Archiv. But I reckon the most likely performer of your 1973 recording, Caliban, would have been George Malcolm.

[Nick Armstrong]

I reckon the most likely performer of your 1973 recording, Caliban, would have been George Malcolm.

I reckon you're right, Micky - I'd forgotten George Malcolm! http://www.gramophone.net/Issue/Page...s+1+ls.+6d.+PT

Thanks!

[vinteuil]

... I see that while I was having my leurnch Micky has answered Calibre's question.

Yes, I'm sure it wd've been Geo: Malcolm at that date.

Kenneth Gilbert was I think 1977.

I find the pre-HIPP harpsichord of such as George Malcolm unlistenable-to. Give me a pianner rather than that...

[Pianorak]

here is Marcelle Meyer on piano

This is definitely NOT the jazz forum!

[MickyD]

... I see that while I was having my leurnch Micky has answered Calibre's question.

Yes, I'm sure it wd've been Geo: Malcolm at that date.

Kenneth Gilbert was I think 1977.

I find the pre-HIPP harpsichord of such as George Malcolm unlistenable-to. Give me a pianner rather than that...

I do so agree, Vinteuil....it seems churlish to dispense with George Malcolm when he did so much to awaken interest in the instrument - but I never understood why he didn't embrace the more historically correct instrument which was certainly on the scene by the time he recorded for Argo...Gustav Leonhardt had long made that admirable set of the Bach concertos on period keyboards.

[amateur51]

... I see that while I was having my leurnch Micky has answered Calibre's question.

Yes, I'm sure it wd've been Geo: Malcolm at that date.

Kenneth Gilbert was I think 1977.

I find the pre-HIPP harpsichord of such as George Malcolm unlistenable-to. Give me a pianner rather than that...

Gladly, sirrah ....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jb5AlPRnsg

[Pegleg]

I cannot say I'm a serious student of Rameau, or anyone else, but I've listened to this programme twice now and there's always something to learn on FOR3. In this case, the existence of Marcelle Meyer and that Cherkassky clip.

I was gifted a copy of Celine Frisch's single CD of Pieces de Calvecin and bought Angela Hewitt's Hyperion recording of Rameau keyboard suites for a elderly piano loving relative. It was returned to me on their passing.

Flicking between these two I tend toward the Leonhardt view that no matter how good the pianist you need to listen to the “real thing”.

Sophie Yates was heard playing the Gavotte with 6 Doubles on the show and I sought out some alternatives on youtube from Pinnock, Christie, Rousset and Rannou. I enjoyed Pinnock and Rannou most.

I thought Trevor Pinnock might have been in programme mix, and I have a couple of questions for those who know about these things.

I had DG Pinnock CD on loan once ( DG 474182-2 I think), which sadly is no longer on sale, but the CRD recording is ( CRD 35112 ). Are these completely different studio sessions? Is Pinnock playing a D.Way Stonington CT Hemsch type harpsichord on both?

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

This is definitely NOT the jazz forum!

true but it is wonderful!

[LeMartinPecheur]

I have a CD on the Tring 'Authenticka' (sic) label from c1996 of Virginia Black doing the A minor (1706), the E minor and Dminor/major suites (both 1724). I'm not alone in thinking it knocks spots off the CRD Pinnock complete set which is my only reference point.

Does anyone else know this disc? - I've not seen a mention of it anywhere, inc Amazon Marketplace. And did she record the rest of the Suites? I'd love to snap up a copy if so.

[MickyD]

Strange, I can find no reference to the Virginia Black disc, not even on a comprehensive site of Rameau recordings. I remember hearing VB in an excellent recital once in the chapel of Arundel Cathedral, so I can imagine that this disc would be worth hearing. I've always been a fan of the Rousset recording for Decca, but am tempted to try the newer Pieter-Jan Belder collection on Brilliant.

[Pegleg]

Virginia Black has never been on my radar. I'm not surprised the “Tring” CD is elusive as the company appears to have been litigated out of business around 1998 over copyright issues.

The chances of hearing that CD are small. There is just one piece of hers on youtube playing “Les Baricades Misterieuses”:

http://youtu.be/ft6lFgaK_Gc

Pinnock is not necessarily top of my list, and I'm beginning to think that the DG Rameau recording I mentioned is a figment of my imagination, except it is referred to on youtube and if it ever existed must be a different session to the crd CD.

Another Rameau recording I'd like to get my hands on is that of Scott Ross. It's interesting to compare him to Marcelle Meyer playing Les Tendres Plaintes:

http://youtu.be/pPl4jbfPSc4

http://youtu.be/segCBE0oX9Q