Search - Rameau, Lerer, Vienna Cm :: Rameau: Castor & Pollux

French Baroque Perfection

Jonathan Dobin | 09/22/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I just found and listened to my vinyl recording of Harnoncourt's reading of Rameau's Castor et Pollux (the present CD is a re-release of the same performance). It was the first time I had listened to this performance in about 12 years (though I purchased it at the time of it's original release in the 70's). In my opinion this was and still represents the finest, most rewarding recorded performance of French baroque orchestral playing. Few recordings approach it. As I recall, this was something of a revolutionary recording for the Concentus Musicus Wien as well - using crescendo/diminuendo bowing and other baroque fiddle techniques more boldly than in previous recordings.



What is transcendental about this performance goes far beyond the application of "performance practices" and use of period instruments: the unanimity of approach; the profound and intimate understanding of the music's rhetorical language - its gesture and space as conceived by Harnoncourt and executed by the entire ensemble; the sublime nuances and instant turns of phrase; the suavity; the color and drama; the sense of dance - from playful to haunting and fiery --- and everything in between; the gloriously spontaneous sound of the ensemble ornamentation; subtle use of notes inegal. All these have left me just as spellbound today as they did when I first purchased the recording more than 30 years ago. Harnoncourt brings Rameau's startling and revolutionary vision of orchestration to life like no other interpretor (except perhaps, at times, Frans Bruggen and William Christie).



Though I wasn't initially enthusiastic about the vocal soloists years ago (found the women too strident and too heavy for the music), they now seem beautifully suited to their roles - expressive, colorful. The Stockholm Chamber Choir is magical -- perfectly in tune and extraordinarily responsive to each text setting (blending wonderfully with the orchestra as well). One would be hard-pressed to find an early-music ensemble (or any ensemble) present a more fluent, longing and ultimately triumphant reading as that of the closing grand Chaconne and ensuing chorus.

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