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<< -- 5 -- Rex Harley MUSICAL RICHES
I can only, in a single review, scratch the surface of the musical riches contained in these ten CDs. It's an enterprise that's been done before, of course. There are recordings by Blandine Verlet, Christophe Rousset and Kenneth Gilbert, among others, and the last two are technically at least, still available. Better yet, they're at bargain price. In reality, trying to order them will simply give you a headache and an interminable wait. And for a slightly larger outlay you can have this set which, if I were 'building a library', would undoubtedly be my first choice.
But this does beg a question. Do you need the complete set? After all, one harpsichord piece can sound much like another after a while. My answer, for what it's worth, would be an unequivocal Yes. The reasons? One -- what is contained in these four Livres, of 27 Ordres, is effectively a discrete world, peopled with the 'dramatis personae' of Couperin's life, their passions, their pastimes and the quirky details of their lives. Any selection, however thoughtfully put together, can never capture the variety of style, mood or musical texture on offer for, actually, the more you listen the more you realise that every piece has its own, distinct personality. And two -- quite simply, I cannot imagine a more satisfying or rewarding series of performances than those contained in this release.
It has been a labour of love, for producer, Yvette Carbou, and for Noëlle Spieth herself, taking over twelve years to complete. Five different harpsichords were used, one an original eighteenth century instrument by Pascal Taskin, the others copies constructed specifically for the recordings. The quality of the recording itself is exemplary. Sympathetic ambience and engineering skills combined to produce a sound that is remarkably natural, showing both clarity and warmth, while the inevitable 'clunking' of internal mechanisms is reduced to a minimum.
There is a very informative and nicely illustrated booklet included, though packaging is basic and the flimsy cardboard box may need a little DIY with sticky tape. But this seems somehow oddly appropriate. In a world of glitz and spin, and 'sexing-up', where so much flatters to deceive, it is refreshing to bump into the real thing. Pretty packaging be damned! It's the music that matters, and anyone who loves music will return again and again to these wonderful performances [listen -- CD 8 track 22, 3:57-5:17].
Quotations of Wilfrid Mellers are taken from his book: François Couperin and the French Classical Tradition, Faber and Faber, New Version -- 1987. For anyone wishing to explore the background to the pieces contained in the four Ordres, the detailed appendix in this work is invaluable. Once again, your only problem will be trying to track down a copy!
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