Rameau - L’orchestre de Louis XV - orchestral suites
Le Concert des Nations / Savall
Alia Vox AVSA9882 (2CD)

Release date July 2011

Jordi Savall’s latest project, a sojourn into the orchestral suites of Rameau, is an absolute joy from start to finish. As another of Savall’s historically informed recordings, it is devoted to the orchestra of Louis XV and follows previous releases devoted to Louis XIII and Louis XIV (excerpts of which can be found on AV9842). The four works chosen for this new release are taken from Rameau’s four most important works for stage: Les Indes Galantes (1735), Naïs (1748), Zoroastre (1749) and Les Boréades (1764), all of which were written during the reign of the somewhat unfortunate Louis XV (who, interestingly but irrelevantly, became King at the tender age of 5). The music is predominantly based on dance forms that were popular with 18th century audiences and that were used either to enhance the on-stage action or as a dramatic way of moving the action forward. One of the striking things about this disc is the variety of textures and colours on display. The magisterial overture of Les Indes Galantes really sets the scene and is followed by a more refined Musette en Rondeau that utilises the baroque musette (French bagpipe), adding a subtle reedy depth to the sound. Later comes the desperately tender 2éme Air pour les Zephirs using sparse instrumentation which is promptly brushed aside by the quicksilver Tambourins. The rousing overture to Naïs signifies the start of the next dramatic journey. The baroque musette appears again in the Musette, a movement based on a drone that provides a rare moment of poignancy. The second disc (this is an exceptional bargain to boot!) features the two later suites. Les Boreades, written about 30 years after Les Indes Galantes, shows a significant development in compositional style. The brass and wind writing in particular is far more detailed and overall there is greater melodic and harmonic interest. Ultimately this is music that is guaranteed to lift the spirits, executed with precision and fervour by Savall and Le Concert des Nations.

Reviewed by Dawn Gibson