Mai Nagareo Recital No.3 "Portrait of Rameau" [archived].

The third installment of the "Profilo" series will focus on J.Ph. Rameau (1683-1764), a composer and theorist from the 18th century French Enlightenment period.


Rameau was born in the French city of Dijon to an organist father. He was two years older than Bach and Handel.
At the age of 23, he published his first collection of clavecin (French for harpsichord) pieces, and at the age of 39, he was recognized as a music theorist with the publication of his massive "Treatise on Harmony" (over 400 pages). Although not widely known, Rameau is one of the most important theorists in the history of Western music, a man who devoted his life to the elucidation of musical structure. This theory became the cornerstone of Western music theory, and many of the music theories we take for granted today were in fact proposed by Rameau.

Although Rameau is a well-known opera composer, he is said to be a "late bloomer" as he was only 50 years old when his first opera was performed.
However, his earlier works for clavecin are truly gems. Some are sigh-inducing works with delicate melodic lines, others are exotic themes of bird imitation or uncharted lands, and still others are virtuoso works that make full use of technique.
Rameau's clavecin compositions, which appear simple and straightforward on the score, are often the earliest works that harpsichord students are exposed to, but delving into them reveals that they are actually very theatrical and progressive (Rameau later arranged and inserted his keyboard works into his operas). (Rameau later arranged and inserted his own keyboard works into his operas).

The "Clavissants and fingering," which is the focus of this exhibition, was published 300 years ago in 1724, when Rameau was 41 years old. The program will include not only keyboard music but also Rameau's operas, cantatas, and other vocal pieces, and will also touch on the European music scene around 1724, when this collection was published.

Guests will be tenor Yosuke Taniguchi and viola da gamba player Tomofumi Shimane, both of whom have appeared in many French baroque operas, and will perform on a beautifully painted clavecin.
Please enjoy the program!

(Performance pitch: A=392Hz)