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Track(s) taken from CDA68071/2

Les petits marteaux

composer
? before 1754

Mahan Esfahani (harpsichord)
Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available
CD-Quality:
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CD-Quality:
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Recording details: February 2014
The Music Room, Hatchlands Park, Surrey, United Kingdom
Produced by Tim Oldham
Engineered by David Hinitt
Release date: November 2014
Total duration: 1 minutes 42 seconds

Cover artwork: Study for the right arm of Lucretia (1518). Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)
 

Reviews

‘I don’t think I have heard a harpsichord sound as supple and rich in colours … Rameau’s five suites rank with the finest keyboard music of the first half of the 18th century, but they remain neglected by the side of masterpieces by Handel and Bach. Esfahani’s magnetic advocacy could change all that. His rhythmic verve, wide spectrum of tone colour and joie de vivre is evident throughout’ (The Sunday Times)» More

‘The genius of Rameau still inspires and challenges us today. He is certainly lucky that performers like Esfahani have engaged his spirit in well-thought and ultimately, highly communicative readings like this one’ (Audiophile Audition, USA)» More

‘Esfahani does something special and, I think, unique here, so identifying his own maverick intelligence with Rameau’s supple, refined use of wit and irony’ (Limelight, Australia)» More

‘This, as you would expect, is a beautifully produced and presented recording of Rameau’s complete Pièces de clavecin … Mahan Esfahani is a brilliant technician, but more than that he is a master at delivering the character in these pieces. Dark minor-key drama, dancing rhythms and elegance are created with the utmost refinement, and refinement is a major strength of this set as a whole’ (MusicWeb International)» More

‘The real star of this recording is the ravishing sound of the harpsichord itself … what a great sound’ (The Toronto Early Music Newsletter, Canada)» More
Les petits marteaux comes from a manuscript in the hand of the celebrated harpsichordist and organist Claude-Bénigne Balbastre. While there is some question as to whether the piece is by Rameau (a dispute based entirely on the presence of a full point between ‘marteaux’ and ‘de M. Rameau’ on the manuscript—yes, this is how musicology can be), the American scholar David Fuller has argued that this work can probably be counted as a minor addition to the canon of Rameau’s works. It may be a little tribute to the composer’s friend, a certain Madame du Hallay, herself a figure of some renown in eighteenth-century Parisian literary circles. According to Friedrich Marpurg, Rameau used to call her fingers ‘ses petits marteaux’ (his little hammers). This piece was probably dashed off in a few moments in the way a famous artist might draw a bird or a face in an autograph book.

from notes by Mahan Esfahani © 2014

Les petits marteaux proviennent d’un manuscrit de la main du célèbre claveciniste et organiste Claude-Bénigne Balbastre. Si la question reste posée de savoir si cette pièce est de Rameau (la controverse reposant entièrement sur la présence d’un point entre «marteaux» et «M. Rameau» sur le manuscrit—oui, c’est cela parfois la musicologie), l’érudit américain David Fuller a montré que cette pièce peut sans doute être considérée comme un ajout mineur à l’œuvre complète de Rameau. C’est peut-être un petit hommage à une amie du compositeur, une certaine Madame du Hallay, elle-même personnalité assez célèbre des cercles littéraires parisiens au XVIIIe siècle. Selon Friedrich Marpurg, Rameau avait l’habitude d’appeler les doigts de cette femme «ses petits marteaux». Cette pièce fut probablement écrite en vitesse, comme un artiste célèbre pourrait dessiner un oiseau ou un visage dans un livre d’autographes.

extrait des notes rédigées par Mahan Esfahani © 2014
Français: Marie-Stella Pâris

Les petits marteaux stammt aus einem Autograph aus der Hand des berühmten Cembalisten und Organisten Claude-Bénigne Balbastre. Obgleich Rameaus Autorschaft umstritten ist (der Disput hat sich über dem Punkt zwischen „marteaux“ und „de M. Rameau“ auf dem Autograph entzündet—ja, so kann Musikwissenschaft sein), hat der amerikanische Wissenschaftler David Fuller gezeigt, dass dieses Stück wohl als kleinere Ergänzung zum Kanon von Rameaus Werken angesehen werden kann. Es könnte ein Tribut an Madame du Hallay sein, eine Freundin des Komponisten und eine berühmte Persönlichkeit in den literarischen Kreisen im Paris des 18. Jahrhunderts. Laut Friedrich Marpurg bezeichnete Rameau ihre Finger als „ses petits marteaux“ (ihre kleinen Hammer). Dieses Stück wurde wahrscheinlich in wenigen Augenblicken heruntergeschrieben, etwa so, wie ein berühmter Künstler einen Vogel oder ein Gesicht in ein Poesiealbum kritzeln könnte.

aus dem Begleittext von Mahan Esfahani © 2014
Deutsch: Christiane Frobenius

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