Rameau - Cinquième Concert in D Minor - Mov. 1/3

JEAN-PHILIPPE RAMEAU (1683 - 1764)

Pièces de Clavecin en Concert, Cinquième concert for violin, viola da gamba, and obbligato harpsichord in D Minor

1. Forqueray

Performed by Trevor Pinnock, harpsichord
Rachel Podger, violin
Jonathan Manson, viola da gamba

*The Pièces de Clavecin en Concert, published in 1741, constitute the only chamber music by Jean-Philippe Rameau and were composed in full maturity; they came after his music for solo harpsichord, and just before les Indes galantes.

They are very different from the trio sonatas in the Italian manner (such as those of Corelli), where the harpsichord is only providing the role of a continuo bass. In Rameau's works, the harpsichord is at the heart of the ensemble, playing a fully written-out obbligato part with virtuosity, with the accompaniment falling to the violin and viola da gamba. Rameau provided for differing instrumental combinations: the flute can replace the violin and a second violin can replace the viola da gamba. It is possible to compare these works with the violin sonatas of Johann Sebastian Bach, written earlier, around 1720, in which the melodic material is shared equally between the violin and harpsichord and the harpsichord part is obbligato nearly throughout.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• baroque
• classical
• lully
• marais
• couperin
• opera
• harpsichord
• ballet
• overture
• motet
• cantata

[OedipusColoneus]

This concerts for the harpsichord by Rameau are better then the Bach ones. :) Now the others who read this can kill me saying that I'm wrong. :P But I'm not. :) I din't knew the version of Pinnock... it's beautiful!!!

[HARMONICO101]

People will crucify me for saying this as well, but I find Bach's original works for violin and obbligato harpsichord are mind-numbingly dull. I love Rameau's wimzy and character. Real shame that he didn't write more chamber music.

[arpicordio]

I worship daddy Bach... but i confess i melt down whilst listening to Rameau

[SSRHyuga]

Great piece, great performance.

Nice birds, I like it.

[davehshs]

@HARMONICO101 I wouldn't go so far as to call Bach's works "mind-numbingly dull," but I agree that Rameau's music is often more entertaining with interesting changes that keep the mind (and emotions) engaged.

[Dhha]

Well, I Like Bach. I like Rameau. I like music. Period.

[rotsenon]

@OedipusColoneus Haha, i had that same thought, good to know i wasn't the only sinfull soul around saying this is better than Bach :)

[BaroqueBastard]

you know what im talking about dont get all technicall bottom line bach is better than rameau in every aspect

[BaroqueBastard]

@OedipusColoneus  ur retarded no ones better than bach and on top of that his sons wf and cpe have better harpsichord concertos than rameau

[Hispanicauzinpanic]

I could only imagine how it was to be in a chamber while they played this.

[MrDenull]

yes better than Bach in the sense that the Harpsichord is breathing and flying!!!

Its not like Bach´s "machina"

I agree with you! :-)

[klavierkonzerte]

thanks for posting this marvelous masterpiece, i just can't stop listening to it.

[klavierkonzerte]

thanks for posting this marvelous masterpiece.

btw the way 3:40 is copied from a sonata by scarlatti in d minor or is scarlatti who copied it?