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

One of my favourite Rameau operas

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. November 4, 2005

Rameau A+, Christie/LAF C+

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. January 4, 2005

The only complete recording

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. February 16, 2004

Really fine recording

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. May 9, 2002

ABOUT THE SAMPLES

THE SAMPLES ARE NOT FROM THE OPERA. PLEASE CHANGE THEM. October 25, 1999

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