Rameau

@& Jean-Philippe Rameau Birth Sep 25, 1683 in Dijon, France Death Sep 12, 1764 in Paris, France Jean-Philippe Rameau was born in 1683 to Jean and Claudine. His father intended him to study law, but he was so precocious a musician that they were requested to remove him from the Jesuit College where they had placed him, as he spent all his time playing and studying music. His father, an organist at the Dijon cathedral, finally consented to his pursuing a musical career, and sent him to Milan to study. But the young Rameau didn't stay, and instead joined a tour as first violinist through the south of France. He was a brilliant harpsichordist, and his early positions as a musician are all as an organist and he was his father's successor at the cathedral in Dijon. In 1722 he moved to Paris and settled there. He held no official position in Paris but was associated with the theaters. In 1726 he married Marie Louise Mangot, and in 1732 finally took another job as an organist in Paris. Rameau's early compositions are all for the harpsichord. A fine harpsichordist at an early age, he wrote masterful, virtuosic pieces. His 65 keyboard works are compiled into four books. Some are lute-like and filled with expressive arpeggiations, some are indebted to Couperin, and some look backward to older styles. Some are filled with orchestral, sonorous textures never before seen in harpsichord literature. La Poule is a powerful piece filled with drama and despair. It is built around themes that are meant to imitate the sounds of a clucking chicken. Rameau takes these themes and combines and develops them into a composition that expresses profound tragedy. Rameau began his theoretical writings with Traite and Nouveau systeme de musique in 1726. He continued his theoretical writings throughout his life, corresponding with other theorists and writers. His theories of harmonic generation, harmonic inversion, and of fundamental bass influenced theorists for the next 200 years. He developed theories of harmonic progression, and classified the various cadences. His ambition was to compose opera, however, and he was an important historical figure in the history of the French lyric drama. He continued the work Lully had begun, but with works such as Hippolyte created operas that are filled with the power of human emotion. He composed overtures that introduced the story of the opera programmatically. He was able to express violent contrasting emotions, and elegiac moments and was a true dramatist. -- Rita Laurance

Obra completa ca. 1720 L'Absence, cantata (lost) Cantata Acanthe et Céphise, ou La sympathie, 1751 French Baroque Opera opera L'Agaçante, for harpsichord, violin, Trio for Keyboard and Two String 1741 and viol (Pièces de clavecin en conInstruments certs) L'Agaçante, version for harpsichord 1741 Chamber Music only (Pieces de clavecin en concerts) ca. 1722 Ah! loin de rire, canon Canon for Voices Allemande for harpsichord in E minor 1724 Allemand for Keyboard (Pièces de clavecin) before Les Amants trahis, cantata for 2 Cantata 1721 soloists, viol & continuo 1754 Anacréon, acte de ballet Baroque Ballet Aquilon et Orithie, cantata for bass ca. 1715 Cantata voice, violin & continuo 1762 Arueris, intermède en musique (lost) French Baroque Opera ca. 1719 Avec du vin, endormons-nous, canon Canon for Voices Le Berger fidèle, cantata for tenor 1728 Cantata voice, 2 violins & continuo before Les Boréades (Abaris), tragédie en French Baroque Opera 1763 musique La Boucon, for harpsichord, violin & Trio for Keyboard and Two String 1741 viol (Pièces de clavecin en concerts) Instruments Cantate pour le jour de la fête de ca. 1740 Saint Louis, for soprano, treble Cantata instrument & continuo 1737 Castor et Pollux, tragédie en musique French Baroque Opera Cinq pièces pour clavecin seul Coll. of Character/Single-Moveca. 1741 extraites de Pièces en concert ment/Misc. Works for Keyb. Concert 1, for harpsichord, violin (or ca. 1741 flute) & viola da gamba (or second vi- Orchestral Music olin) (Pièces de clavecin en concert) Concert 2, for harpsichord, violin (or ca. 1741 flute) & viola da gamba (or second vi- Orchestral Music olin) (Pièces de clavecin en concerts) Concert 3, for harpsichord, violin (or ca. 1741 flute) & viola da gamba (or second vi- Orchestral Music olin) (Pièces de clavecin en concerts) Concert 4, for harpsichord, violin (or ca. 1741 flute) & viola da gamba (or second vi- Orchestral Music olin) (Pièces de clavecin en concerts) Concert 5, for harpsichord, violin (or ca. 1741 flute) & vila da gamba (or second viol- Orchestral Music in) (Pièces de clavecin en concerts) Concert 6, for harpsichord, violin (or flute) and viola da gamba (od second Orchestral Music vioin) (falsely attributed to Rameau) La Cornemuse, ballet-pantomime Baroque Ballet

La Coulicam, for harpsichord, violin & Trio for Keyboard and Two String viol (Pièces de clavecin en concerts) Instruments Les Courses de Tempé, musique pour 1734 French Baroque Opera le théâtre de la foire (lost) La Cupis, for harpsichord, violin & Trio for Keyboard and Two String 1741 viol (Pièces de clavecin en concerts) Instruments Les Cyclopes, for harpsichord (Pièces Character/Single-Movement/Mis1724 de clavecin) cellaneous Work for Keyboard 1753 Daphnis et Églé, pastorale héroïque French Baroque Opera 1739 Dardanus, tragédie en musique French Baroque Opera Character/Single-Movement/Mis1747 La Dauphine, for harpsichord cellaneous Work for Keyboard Deus noster refugium, grand motet 1713 for soloists, chorus, 2 oboes, violin, Motet -1715 viola & continuo Two Solo Voices (with or without ca. 1707 Duo paysan, for voice & keyboeard Keyboard/Continuo) L'Égyptienne, for harpsichord (Nou- Character/Single-Movement/Mis1727 velles suites) cellaneous Work for Keyboard L'Endriague, comédie pour le théâtre 1723 French Baroque Opera de la foire L'Enharmonique, for harpsichord Character/Single-Movement/Mis1727 (Nouvelle suites) cellaneous Work for Keyboard L'Enrôlement d'Arlequin, comédie por 1726 French Baroque Opera le théâtre de la foire L'Entretien des Muses, for Character/Single-Movement/Mis1724 harpsichord (Pièces de clavecin) cellaneous Work for Keyboard ca. 1715 Exultet caelum laudibus, motet (lost) Baroque Motet Fanfarinette, for harpsichord (NouCharacter/Single-Movement/Mis1727 velles suites) cellaneous Work for Keyboard Les Fêtes d'Hébé ou Les Talents 1739 Ballet lyriques, ballet héroïque Les Fêtes de Polymnie, ballet 1745 Ballet héroïque 1745 Les Fêtes de Ramire, acte de ballet Baroque Ballet Les Fêtes de l'Hymen et de l'Amour 1747 ou Les Dieux d'Égypte, ballet Ballet héroïque La Follette, for harpsicord (Pièces de Character/Single-Movement/Mis1724 clavecin) cellaneous Work for Keyboard La Forqueray, for harpsichord, violin Trio for Keyboard and Two String 1741 & viol (Pièces de clavecin en conInstruments certs) Gavotte with 6 doubles, for harpsi1727 Gavotte for Keyboard chord (Nouvelles suites) Gigue en rondeau (Pièces de 1724 Chamber Music clavecin) La Guirlande ou Les Fleurs 1751 Baroque Ballet Enchantées, acte de ballet 1733 Hippolyte et Aricie, tragédie lyrique French Baroque Opera 1715 L' Impatience, cantata for Cantata -1722 countertenor voice, viol & continuo 1741

In convertendo, grand motet for sobefore loists, chorus, 2 flutes, 2 horns, violin, Baroque Motet 1720 viola & continuo 1735 Les Indes galantes, ballet French Baroque Opera -1761 1735 Les Indes galantes, for harpsichord Transcription for Keyboard 1735 Les Indes galantes, opéra-ballet Baroque Ballet L'indiffèrente, for harpsicord (NouCharacter/Single-Movement/Mis1727 velles suites) cellaneous Work for Keyboard L'indiscrète, for harpschord, violin & Trio for Keyboard and Two String 1741 viol (Pièces de clavecin en concerts) Instruments Io, acte de balet (unfinished) Baroque Ballet Les Jardninières et les ciseaux, balBaroque Ballet let-pantomime (lost) Les Jardins de de l'Hymen ou La 1726 Baroque Ballet Rose, ballet-pantomine La Joyeuse, for harpsicord (Pièces de Trio for Keyboard and Two String 1724 clavecin avec une méthode) Instruments Sacred Choral Music with keyca. 1722 Laboravi, for chorus & organ board (or continuo) La Laborde, for harpsichord, violin & Trio for Keyboard and Two String 1741 viol (Pièces de clavecin en concerts) Instruments Le Lardon, for harpsichord (Pièces de Character/Single-Movement/Mis1724 clavecin avec une méthode) cellaneous Work for Keyboard Linus, tragédie en musique (partially 1752 French Baroque Opera lost) La Livri, for harpsichord, violin & viol Trio for Keyboard and Two String 1741 (Pièces de clavecin en concerts) Instruments La Livri, version for harpsichord only 1741 Chamber Music (Pieces de clavecin en concerts) 1753 Lysis et Délie, pastorale (lost) French Baroque Opera La Marais, for harpsichord, violin & Trio for Keyboard and Two String 1741 viol (Pièces de clavecin en concerts) Instruments Marche des Magues Chamber Music ca. 1720 Medée, cantata (lost) Cantata Menuet I, for harpsichord, violin & viol ca. 1741 Chamber Music (Pièces de clavecin en concerts) Menuet II, for harpsichord, violin & ca. 1741 Chamber Music viol (Pièces de clavecin en concerts) Menuet en rondeau, for harpsichord 1724 (Pièce de clavecin avec une méthode: Minuet for Keyboard Table des agréments) Menuets I and II, for harpsichord 1727 Minuet for Keyboard (Nouvelle suites) Musette en rondeau, for harpsichord 1724 (Pièces de clavecin avec une Musette for Keyboard méthode) Secular Choral Music with Or1749 Naïs, pastorale héroïque chestra La Naissance d'Osiris ou La Fête 1754 Baroque Ballet Pamilie, acte de ballet ca. 1750 Nélée et Myrthis ou Les Beaux jours Baroque Ballet

de l'amour, ballet Les Niais de Sologne, for harpsichord Character/Single-Movement/Mis1724 (Pièces de clavecin avec une cellaneous Work for Keyboard méthode) Nouvelles suites de pièces de 1727 Suite/Partita for Keyboard clavecin, for harpsichord Operas Orphée, cantata, for soprano, violin, ca. 1720 Cantata viol & continuo 1760 Les Paladins, comédie lyrique Baroque Ballet La Pantomime, for harpsichord, violin Trio for Keyboard and Two String 1741 & viol (Pièces de clavecin en Instruments concerts) 1706 Pièces de Clavecin, for keyboard Music for Keyboard -1727 Pièces de clavecin avec une méthode Coll. of Character/Single-Move1724 sur la mécanique des doigts ment/Misc. Works for Keyb. Pièces de clavecin en concerts, for Coll. of Character/Single-Move1741 harpsihcord (arr.) ment/Misc. Works for Keyb. Pièces de clavecin en concerts, for Trio for Keyboard and Two String 1741 harpsichord, violin (or flute) & viola Instruments da gamba (or second violin) Premier livre de pièces de clavecin, Coll. of Character/Single-Move1706 for harpsichord ment/Misc. Works for Keyb. 1745 Platée ou Junon jalouse, opera French Baroque Opera La La Poplinière, for harpsichord, vi1741 olin & viol (Pièces de clavecin en concerts) 1729 - La Poule, for harpsicord (Nouvelles Character/Single-Movement/Mis1730 suites) cellaneous Work for Keyboard La Princesse de Navarre, comédie1745 French Baroque Opera ballet La Procureur dupé sans le savoir, 1758 French Baroque Opera opéra-comique (partially lost) Pygmalion suite, for harpsichord Suite/Partita for Keyboard 1748 Pygmalion, acte de ballet Baroque Ballet Quam dilecta, for soloists, chorus, 2 1713 flutes, 2 violins, viola & continuo (or Baroque Motet -1715 organ) La Rameau, for harpsichord, violin & Trio for Keyboard and Two String 1741 viol (Pièces de clavecin en concerts) Instruments Le Rappel des oiseaux, for 1724 harpsichord (Pièces de clavecin avec Music for Keyboard une méthode) La Robe de dissension ou le Faux 1726 prodige, comédie pour le théâtre da French Baroque Opera foire Rondino for piano in C major Rossignols amoureaux, arietta for Solo Voice(s) and Small Ensoprano, flute, violin & harpsichord semble 1732 Samson, tragédie en musique (lost) French Baroque Opera 1727 Les Sauvages, for harpsicord (Nou- Character/Single-Movement/Mis-

velles suites) cellaneous Work for Keyboard Song(s) Miscellaneous Vocal Music Les Soupirs, for harpischord (Pièces Character/Single-Movement/Mis1724 de clavecin avec une méthode) cellaneous Work for Keyboard Suite in A major, for harpsichord Miscellaneous Music ca. 1757 Les Surprises de l'amour, ballet Baroque Ballet 1753 Les Sybarites, acte de ballet Baroque Ballet Tambourin, for harpsichord (Pièces Character/Single-Movement/Mis1724 de clavecin avec une méthode) cellaneous Work for Keyboard Tambourins, for harpsichord, violin & Trio for Keyboard and Two String 1741 viol (Pièces de clavecin en concerts) Instruments 1745 Le Temple de la Gloire, fête lyrique French Baroque Opera Les Tendres Plaintes, for harpsicord Character/Single-Movement/Mis1724 (Pièces de clavecin avec une cellaneous Work for Keyboard méthode) Thétis, cantata for bass voice, violin & ca. 1715 Cantata continuo La Timide, for harpsichord, violin & Trio for Keyboard and Two String 1741 viol (Pièce de clavecin en concerts) Instruments La Timide, version for harpsichord 1741 Chamber Music only (Pieces de clavecin en concerts) Les Tourbillons (Pièces de clavecin Character/Single-Movement/Mis1724 avec une méthode) cellaneous Work for Keyboard Les Tricotets, for harpsicord (NouCharacter/Single-Movement/Mis1727 velles suites) cellaneous Work for Keyboard Les Triolets for harpsicord (Nouvelles Character/Single-Movement/Mis1727 suites) cellaneous Work for Keyboard La Triomphante, for harpsicord (Nou- Character/Single-Movement/Mis1727 velles suites) cellaneous Work for Keyboard Les Trois Mains, for harpsichord Character/Single-Movement/Mis1727 (Nouvelles suites) cellaneous Work for Keyboard 1751 Un bourbon ouvre sa carrière, ariette Art Song (General) Le Vézinet, for harpsichord, violin & Trio for Keyboard and Two String 1741 viol (Pièces de clavecin en concerts) Instruments La Villageoise, for harpsichord Character/Single-Movement/Mis1724 (Pièces de clavecin avec une cellaneous Work for Keyboard méthode) Work(s) Miscellaneous Music Work(s) Overview Miscellaneous Music Work(s) for harpsichord Music for Keyboard 1748 Zaïs, ballet héroïque French Baroque Opera Zéphire ou les Nymphes de Diane, ca. 1750 Baroque Ballet acte de ballet 1749 Zoroastre, tragédie en musique French Baroque Opera