Rameau: Pièces de Clavecin, Volume 1

Rameau: Pièces de Clavecin, Volume 1

$16.22
Total playing time [79:27]

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Steven Devine (harpsichord)

The celebrated harpsichordist Steven Devine makes his Resonus debut with the first of three significant volumes surveying the keyboard works of the French Baroque composer Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764).

A vital milestone in the harpsichord repertoire, Devine here presents the first two books of Rameau's Pièces de Clavecin - the 1706 Premier Livre de Pièces de Clavecin and the 1724 Pièces de Clavessin. Ranging from the more traditional dance movements of the earlier book to the sophisticated and forward-looking character pieces of the second book, Rameau's solo keyboard works always present a rich feast for the ear. 

Released in the 250th anniversary of the composer's death, Devine performs on a copy by Ian Tucker of an instrument by Andreas Ruckers (1636) with ravalement by Henri Hemsch (1763). 

Album Booklet (PDF)

Tracklist
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'[Devine] is authoritative, suave, technically dazzling and delivers immaculately manicured ornaments that lend brilliance and expressive introspection when required [...] an invigorating addition to the Rameau year. Roll on volumes two and three!'

- BBC Music Magazine (Five stars)

'[Devine] is authoritative, suave, technically dazzling and delivers immaculately manicured ornaments that lend brilliance and expressive introspection when required [...] an invigorating addition to the Rameau year. Roll on volumes two and three!'
BBC Music Magazine (Five stars, performance & sound)

'[The harpsichord's] sonoroities are clear and penetrating yet never strident, and lend themselves both to the music and and to Devine's meticulous technique [...] The recorded ambience is clear and discreetly resonant.'
Gramophone

'Devine embraces the elusive (and allusive) sensibility of the clavecinists in style: he is authoritative, suave, technically dazzling and delivers immaculately manicured ornaments that lend brilliance and expressive introspection where required.'
Classical Music Magazine (Five stars, performance & recording)

'Devine is an original performer [...] The musical result is perfect, transparent, crystal-clear'
gbopera.it

'I’m pleased to see not only that [Devine] has turned his attention to Rameau but that this is billed as Volume 1 of an ongoing series [...] you can hardly go wrong'
MusicWeb International

'Steven Devine’s approach is muscular and the sound large and often bold.'
Lark Reviews

Credits
© 2014 Resonus Limited
Ⓟ 2014 Resonus Limited
Catalogue No. RES10131
Producer, engineer & editor: Adam Binks
EAN: 5060262790335
Cover image: Harpsichord detail © Resonus Limited