Luogo e data di registrazione		Amsterdam (Holland) - Gennaio 1971
	Registrazione: live / studio		studio
	Producer		Wolf Erichson
	Prima Edizione LP		Telefunken "Das Alte Werk" | SAWT 9578-B | 1 LP - durata 52' 27" | (p) 1957
	Edizione CD		Teldec Classics "Gustav Leonhardt Edition" | LC 6019 | 3984-21767-2 | 1 CD - durata 52' 27" | (c) 1998 | ADD
	Cover Art		"Madame Favart", Gemälde von François Hubert Drouais, 1727-1775.
	Note		-

Jean-Philippe Rameau published his Pièces de clavecin‘ in three books, in 1706, 1724 and 1728. It was not until 1741 that he let these three collections be followed by the “Piéces.de clavecin en concerts“. Meanwhile he had opened a new chapter in the history of French opera with such works as "Hippolyte et Aricie" (1733), "Castor et Pollux" (1737) or "Dardanus" (1739), which unleashed passionate discussion. In the “Avis aux concertans“, or “Advice to the Performers‘‘, Rameau has made it clear that his “Pièces de clavecin en concerts‘ could also be played by one harpsichordist alone. At the same time it should be noted that he later transcribed such pieces as “La Livri“, “L’Agaçante”, “La Timide”’ and “L’Indiscrette” (in which the harpsichord was allotted more of an accompanying role) for harpsichord solo. There can be no doubt that the five suites really were intended as ensemble music. In the choice of instruments, however, Rameau did leave the performers a certain amount of latitude. The complete title of the work (“Pièces de clavecin en concerts avec un violon ou une flûte, et une viole ou un deuxième violon“) already legitimates alternative combinations (flute instead of violin, violin instead of viol). At the very time when disapproving voices were heard regarding the violin, it will not have been seldom that the flute was sooner chosen for Rameau’s new work. In 1740, i.e. one year before the publication of the “Pièces de clavecin en concerts“, Hubert Leblanc found it necessary to disqualify the violin as a “penetratingly rough and coarse instrument, whose tone bore no witness at all to good breeding”. The flute, on the other, hand, had long been at its zenith of popular esteem in the land of Michel Blavet, who was also admired by Voltaire, and of Quantz’s teacher Pierre Gabriel Buffardin. The five suites of the 1741 publication each consist of 3-5 movements that are welded together into a whole by the choice of the same major or tonic minor key. Such compositions as the ‘tombeau‘ “La Livri“ or “La Timide” (one of the most valuable pieces in the collection) testify to a striking partiality to the rondeau form, some movements having several themes. Early classical stylistic tendencies already become evident here and there. Clues to the meaning of titles of individual movements that often appear very strange are provided by Cuthbert M. Girdlestone in his definitive work on Rameau (London 1957). “La Forqueray“, for instance, was composed on the occasion of the wedding of his friend Jean-Baptiste Forqueray, a gamba virtuoso from a family of Scottish descent, “La Livri“ on the death of the Comte de Livri, a Parisian patron of the arts in whose literary circle celebrated actresses were frequent visitors. “La Boucon” pays homage to the harpsichordist Anne-Jeanne Boucon; “Le Vezinet” recalls a suburb of Paris that Rameau evidently enjoyed visiting. A portrait of the Tax-Collector-General and patron Le Riche de la Pouplinière, in whose house in the Rue de Richelieu Rameau was able to live for many years, can be found in “La La Pouplinière“. Finally, “La Coulicam“ alludes to Jean-Antoine Ducerceau’s book „Thamas Kouli Khan, nouveau roi de Perse”, newly published in 1741. Rameau pokes fun at the imaginary martial king with fanfare-like motifs and imitation drum effects. One further word on the performing practice of the embellishments so essential to this music. Rameau himself pronounced his views on this quite unmistakably some years later. “However well an embellishment may be executed, a certain “I don’t know what“ that constitutes its entire merit will always be lacking if it is not guided by the proper emotion“. The correct comprehension of the “affect” of each piece (the titles of the three feminine portraits, “L’Agaçante”, “La Timide” and “L’Indiscrette” offer a certain amount of guidance here) is a task of the greatest importance.for the performer. Hans Christoph Worbs