Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764)

[doversoul1]

Donald Macleod explores Jean-Philippe Rameau’s operas beginning with Hippolyte et Aricie, the work which put him on the operatic map.
[…]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00020rn

[MickyD]

At last! This should be a treat.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Oh, good! Thanks, dovers - a repeat from 2007, I see - but Rameau can well bear repeating!

[doversoul1]

A very HIPP (I assume) Hippolyte et Aricie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jf4htzXiXQ

I can’t find 2 but it must be somewhere.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I can’t find 2 but it must be somewhere.

Here we go ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yY-oMtuJE8Y

[LeMartinPecheur]

Will try to catch these programmes. Have had a strong feeling that Rameau would well repay my much more detailed attention as I've long loved his keyboard music and was thrilled by Rousset's Oiseau-Lyre disc of overtures. So far I haven't found a way into his stage works, but maybe their time has come now I'm retired and (in theory!) have more leisure for long listens.

Coincidentally, today saw doorstep delivery of Graham Sadler's The Rameau Companion (cheap from Postscript Books at the minute, but on first scan it's rather a strange book...), so R3's timing is excellent!

[MickyD]

Will try to catch these programmes. Have had a strong feeling that Rameau would well repay my much more detailed attention as I've long loved his keyboard music and was thrilled by Rousset's Oiseau-Lyre disc of overtures. So far I haven't found a way into his stage works, but maybe their time has come now I'm retired and (in theory!) have more leisure for long listens.

Coincidentally, today saw doorstep delivery of Graham Sadler's The Rameau Companion (cheap from Postscript Books at the minute, but on first scan it's rather a strange book...), so R3's timing is excellent!

I've been meaning to get that one for a long time...could you let us know what you think of it? There is an excellent volume by Sylvie Bouissou as well.

I would strongly recommend listening to the programme later on in the week which features the vintage Leonhardt performance of 'Pygmalion'. The work has been lucky on disc, but I don't think it has ever been bettered than in this version. Absolutely thrilling.

[BBMmk2]

This would be interesting!

[LeMartinPecheur]

I've been meaning to get that one for a long time...could you let us know what you think of it?

MickyD: it really isn't a book to sit down and read cover to cover. Not unless you already know your Rameau pretty much end to end anyway.

The great bulk of it, 208pp, is headed 'Dictionary', its entries covering all sorts of entities: works by name, genres, persons, institutions, performance issues etc etc. This is preceded by a 13-page Biography and followed by a 16-page Work-list (not cross-referenced to the Dictionary) and 26 pages of Bibliography. No index, but perhaps navigation will become intuitive(?).

I'm sure it's wonderful for true Rameau scholars but not really a handy introduction, in the style of a Master Musicians volume say.

Hope this assists your buying decision!

[MickyD]

MickyD: it really isn't a book to sit down and read cover to cover. Not unless you already know your Rameau pretty much end to end anyway.

The great bulk of it, 208pp, is headed 'Dictionary', its entries covering all sorts of entities: works by name, genres, persons, institutions, performance issues etc etc. This is preceded by a 13-page Biography and followed by a 16-page Work-list (not cross-referenced to the Dictionary) and 26 pages of Bibliography. No index, but perhaps navigation will become intuitive(?).

I'm sure it's wonderful for true Rameau scholars but not really a handy introduction, in the style of a Master Musicians volume say.

Hope this assists your buying decision!

Thank you for all that. I already have the old Cuthbert Girdlestone survey, which has been the benchmark reference for many years. This new one sounds like an updated version. I think I will go for the Sylvie Bouissou book - she is the real French authority, and has had access to scores in the musical libraries in France. I liked her a lot when she appeared in Olivier Simmonet's documentary on the composer, broadcast on the Arte channel.

[Dave2002]

I spotted this a few weeks ago on am.de - Reameau: the Opera Collection - 27 CDs for 44.41 Euros.

https://www.amazon.de/gp/angebote?ref=nav_cs_gb

Not sure whether to go for that one. It's also currently on offer at Presto Classical - https://www.prestomusic.com/classica...era-collection for £42.57 - but the offer finishes today or tomorrow. Watch to see if prices change or revert.

There's more Rameau listed at am.de - https://www.amazon.de/s/ref=nb_sb_no...eywords=Rameau

including orchestra suites with Jordi Savall and a CD of individual pieces with Musica Aeterna directed by Currentzis.

There's also this set of operas on DVD - https://www.amazon.de/Jean-Philippe-...eywords=Rameau again from am.de

Hippolyte et Aricie is also available as a DVD or Blu Ray conducted by Emmanuelle Haim - https://www.amazon.de/Rameau-Hippoly...KGW0Q2EXFPDM76 - the DVD is cheaper, but ....

Dardanus is here - https://www.amazon.de/Rameau-Dardanu...BR3HMGYQWAY5VR

jpc.de might also be worth checking - https://www.jpc.de/s/rameau

[MickyD]

The 27 CD box is a pretty good bargain, but the flaw for me is that two operas, Les Indes Galantes and Dardanus, are quite old, non-HIP versions by Paillard and Leppard. The difference would be rather stark, I think, contrasted to the other sets by Christie, Minkowski, Gardiner etc.

I've had my eye on that box of DVDs for some time, would be interested to know what others think of it. But at the end of the day, I rarely watch operas on DVD, I mainly want them on CD.

[vinteuil]

The 27 CD box is a pretty good bargain, but the flaw for me is that two operas, Les Indes Galantes and Dardanus, are quite old, non-HIP versions by Paillard and Leppard. The difference would be rather stark, I think, contrasted to the other sets by Christie, Minkowski, Gardiner etc.

... yes, I think Micky has it right in his warning about this box. The Paillard and Leppard versions I wd find painful to listen to. Much better to get the various Rameau operas in more recent HIPP versions - (Pichon, Minkowski, Christie, Kuijken, Gardiner... ).

.

[Dave2002]

I thought I'd remembered a snag (or two), but even so if anyone is collecting, those could be worthwhile. If I go for that one (the Rameau opera box), I'd going to have to do some serious abstinence as we approach Lent!

[richardfinegold]

Oh, good! Thanks, dovers - a repeat from 2007, I see - but Rameau can well bear repeating!

Have they discovered any unknown Rameau since then, as in the yearly rediscovery of some unreleased Jimi Hendrix album?