Rameau: Nouvelles Suites

"Nouvelle Suites" recorded by Calefax Reed Quintet, (p)2006 MDG. I was recently impressed searching through the "R"s at Virgin Megastore on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, to find a new recording by the excellent Calefax, and indeed, one with a recording of baroque music. Here, they offer us 23 tracks of Rameau's keyboard works for woodwind quintet: oboe, clarinet, saxophones, bass clarinet, and bassoon. The arrangements are well done, and reveal a richness to Rameau's writing I hadn't heard before. What delicious sounds emerge. Take, for instance, the twelfth track, Le Rappel des Oiseaux. How much more bird like could you get? What fruity juice they squeeze from their instruments, each ripe and so well recorded. And when that bass clarinet comes in, the floor is dropped, and admiration surely follows. Track eighteen, La Poule is no less enjoyable. Here, as elsewhere, the ensemble plays with a comfortable flexibility with tempo that both makes sense and sounds right. My favorite track is the famous Gavotte with doubles, track eight. Again, the arrangement is well done, the playing, even more so. At times this recording has a Frenchified aire, at other times, I am not sure where the music came from. There is much to admire here on a fine disc. Bravo, standing ovations, and warmly recommended.