Jean-Philippe Rameau: Orchestral Suites

Le Concert des Nations/ Jordi Savall Alia Vox AVSA 9882 A+B (2 CDs)****

Rameau is the composer Jordi Savall has chosen to represent the reign of Louis XV in his survey of music for French kings. The cut and thrust of Rameau's orchestral writing and the sharp tang of his orchestration are an undervalued delight of 18th- century music. Savall has compiled attractive suites from four operas: an opéra-ballet, Les Indes galantes(1735), a pastorale héroïque, Naïs(1748), and two tragédies en musique, Zoroastre(1749) and Les Boréades(1764). The plots are full of exoticism – dances for Incas and African slaves, Titans, Giants and Olympians in an overture depicting "the din of wa", storms, infernal spirits – and Rameau rises to the challenges with invigorating resourcefulness. Savall's performances have an appealingly suave energy, and if you haven't heard it before, listen out for the sweet'n'sour tone of the musette de cour. See url.ie/6l9q