Customer Reviews

Rameau - Les Fetes d'Hebe / Daneman, Connolly, Fouchecourt, Agnew, Felix, Les Arts Florissants, Christie

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4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Few things weigh as heavily in the world of classical music as Gramophone's endorsement. This recording didn't lack one. In fact, Les Fetes d'Hebe won Gramophone 1998 Best Early Opera award, joining other highly-acclaimed Les Arts Florissants recordings and cementing William Christie's fame as the principal exponent of French baroque repertory. Les Fetes d'Hebe is an example of the most popular genre in the 18th-century France - opera-ballet. It is not based on a dramatic plot, but presents a series of "entrees," each with an individual subplot and a distinct musical palette. Both vocal and orchestral numbers delight the senses. The cast is mostly composed of performers who frequently appear with Les Arts Florissants. The degree of artistic cohesion this group has achieved is remarkable. All of the performers deserve to be lauded by name for their wonderful contributions, but this would take too long. I will, however, mention Jean-Paul Fouchecourt, from whose performance I derived the most pleasure on this recording. The Christie/Fouchecourt collaboration dates back more than 10 years, and no wonder. Fouchecourt's voice, sweet and nuanced, with a slight hint of plaintiveness, is nearly ideal for this kind of repertory. Christie taps into the best talents in the world. Jean-Paul Fouchecourt, Paul Agnew and Mark Padmore who between them probably made the most appearances with Christie, are (in my view at least) the best, most distinctive male voices of all time. Now that Christie has added Ian Bostridge to his roster (with Mozart's Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail) the universe is complete. As far as I'm concerned, if all the other tenors were suddenly lost in the Bermuda triangle I wouldn't care. Buying this or any other Christie recording will be the best gift you can give yourself.

Too much can't be said to praise the music here, dated 1739 when the composer was in his prime.

Les Fêtes d'Hébé is a pastoral opera-ballet comprised of a Prologue and 3 Entrees, dedicated to Poetry, Music, and Danse respectively. Ramaeu deploys an arsenal of assorted instruments a cordes & a vents to keep the shepherds on their feet or calm them with ravishing musettes.

However, all is not ideal in this idyllic scenario, per the performance. There is probably no better way to make this obvious than by comparing this offering to Bruggen's recording on Glossa of an instrumental suite drawn from the original.

Christie seems to be in a hurry, singers are nearly gasping, and strings are thin and disordered. Bruggen's broader tempi allow for a more expansive and rhythmic response from the orchestra and more delights for the listener to enjoy.

Credit to all for making the complete recording available, and it may be essential for Christie/LAF/Rameau fans. But it doesnt warm me up like Bruggen does.

PS: Unavailable for a few years, Bruggen's recording was reissued by Glossa in 2007 Jean-Philippe Rameau: Orchestral Works. A companion recording of equal merit Rameau - Orchestral Suites ~ Naïs · Zoroastre / Orchestra of the 18th Century · Brüggen is still available in its originally issued format - highly recommended.

What a treat to discover Rameau through this little gem. Les Fetes d'Hebe moves with enchanting spirit and grace, the lightness of the opera-ballet medium perfectly suited to the French baroque style. William Christie and his performers once again furnish a remarkable recording.

The revival of interest in recent years in period performances and early music has saved some extraordinary music from virtual oblivion. Among those responsible for this resurgence are the American-born conductor William Christie and his period ensemble Les Arts Florissants. Christie is a lover of the French Baroque. Since its founding in 1979, Les Arts Florissants has been bringing the beauties of French Baroque and other early music to life in live performances and recordings. In particular Christie and his ensemble have championed the works of Jean-Phillipe Rameau, the leading opera composer of the French Baroque, whose work remains too little known. Rameau composed a series of operas in many genres beginning at the age of 50.

Christie's recording of Rameau's "Les Fetes D'Hebe" dates from 1997 and remains the only complete recording of this opera in the catalogue. Composed in 1739, the opera remained popular throughout Rameau's life but, according to Nicholas Anderson's liner notes, then languished unperformed until its 20th Century revival. Christie and Les Arts Florissants deserve gratitude and huzzas. The opera and the performance are lilting and inspired. It is easy to fall in love with this music.

"Les Fetes D'Hebe" is in the form of an opera-ballet and reflects the love of Rameau's public for the dance and for exotic, pastoral settings. The opera consists of a Prelude and three loosely connected acts set on the Seine which celebrate the arts of poetry, music and dance. The score consists of a succession of brief recitives and arias, but the heart of each act is a lengthy interlude consisting of a set of instrumental dances and vocal numbers. These ballet sections include baroque forms such as the bouree, gavotte, passepied, rigaudon, and the ever-present minuet. I liked to use my imagination with the music to visualize the dancing onstage. The final act of the opera also includes Rameau's famous, highly stylized "Tambourin" and an accompanying highly contrasting "Musette". Rameau borrowed both these sections as well as some other dance music from his harpsichord suite "Pieces de Clavecin" composed in 1724. Here is a link to a version of the Pieces de Clavecin I have enjoyed performed by harpsichordist Alan Cuckston. Rameau: Harpsichord Music (Complete), Vol. 1

The performance on this recording is spirited on all sides, from the conducting, to the period ensemble, to the chorus and soloists. The recorders and drums are shown to great prominence as is the continuo ensemble consisting of cello, bass viol, double bass, and harpsichord. The soloists feature the rare high tenor of Jean-Paul Fouchecourt who offers his most extended performance in this opera in the role of Mercury in the third act. The other soloists include mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly, high tenor Paul Agnew, soprano Sophie Daneman, and baritone Thierry Felix.

Rameau wrote "Les Fetes D'Hebe" primarily to entertain an audience looking for light, accessible music and dance. He succeeded in this aim by writing music with as much beauty as in many works that claim to be more profound. With its pastoral ambience, the opera captures a range of feeling and emotion. Lovers of the French Baroque will enjoy getting to know this rare work performed by Christie and Les Arts Florissants.

Robin Friedman

Brilliant. brilliant work. The tempi and recording are perfectly judged, and there is no sense *acoustically* of the orchestra - or vocal cast - struggling with fast speeds. No, brother: this is surely some of the very best work of William Christie's ensemble and an amazing endorsement of Rameau's beguiling and totally beautiful score. Stunning!

This is the only complete recording of this piece, though excerpts are available on other recordings, including those of John Elliot Gardiner and Raymond Leppard, whom I prefer.

Christie's tempi are often so fast they harm the character of the pieces, in my opinion; his orchestra has to be virtuosic indeed to keep up, and while impressive, I find it muscally wanting.

A few of the dances are played on pennywhistles and musettes (a sort of bagpipe) instead of as orchestrated by Rameau, and while the liner notes give an historically-informed argument for doing this, I'd rather hear the originals.

Finally, the singing is not always first rate, and I find some of the performances so mannered that they quickly pall.

All that said, it's a wonderful piece, and the true Rameau fanatic will want to own this despite its many shortcomings.

Les Fêtes d'Hébé is one of my favourite opera-ballets by Rameau - thanks to William Christie and his Les Arts Florissants.

Les Fêtes d'Hébé is more of an 'entertainment' than a conventional opera and it is jam-packed full of great tunes, great songs and choruses and technicolour dance music. Rameau uses folk instruments and percussion as well as a full Baroque orchestra.

Along with Les Indes Galantes, Les Fêtes d'Hébé is probably my favourite "bright and breezy" work of Rameau.

If you're a fan of the music of Jean-Philippe Rameau or just a curious music lover, I feel certain that this recording will provide you with a lot of joy.

The orchestral music on this recording is very special indeed and it is some of Rameau's finest.

This, and Philharmonia Baroques's Platee, would be a good places to start if you were looking for a place to start with Rameau. If you are already a Ramiste, you should this recording in your collection. La Guirlande/Zepyre, also recorded by Christe and Les Artes Floirissants is also very good.

THE SAMPLES ARE NOT FROM THE OPERA. PLEASE CHANGE THEM.