Alexandre Tharaud - Rameau
Currently playing in iTunes: Suite en Sol: L'Enharmonique by Alexandre Tharaud... The album on piano comes by way of Alexandre Tharaud. I've had this album now for some time, enjoying a little baroque via piano. His dextrous fingers certainly can delight, especially in numbers such as L'Egyptienne, or Les Sauvages by Rameau. Rameau of course was a famous claveniste, but the music is good enough, of course, it can live beyond the confines of one instrument.
Tharaud is a gifted pianist that doesn't take all of our obvious avenues with this music. Where I suspect Rameau wants the harpsichord to get loud and obnoxious, the piano here may be handled with lightness, bringing a rather transparent, clear quality to all of Rameu's hemisemiquavers. Among the most famous pieces included is his Gavotte avec six doubles, each one here treated to its own track. Fabulous. 22 tracks, including Debussy's Hommage a Rameau. In the end, I fatigue listening to all of this at once. Good recorded sound. I prefer the harpsichord in the end, but this is still a worthy reading with merit. This reading has personality.