In at the deep end for harpsichordist Jean Rondeau in Lucerne

Jean Rondeau

Jean Rondeau in the Neubad, Lucerne

Rudolf Buchbinder

By Stephen Pritchard, 08 February 2023

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“luring us slowly... from elegant austerity to nourishing abundance”

Reviewed at Neubad, Lucerne on 7 February 2023

Rameau, Pièces de clavecin en concert: Premier Concert (Prelude in A minor)

Rameau, Nouvelle Suite: Suite in A minor (selection)

Couperin, L'Art de toucher le clavecin

Couperin, Pièces de clavecin, Ordre no. 3: La ténébreuse

Couperin, Pièces de clavecin, Ordre no. 3: La Lugubre

Couperin, Pièces de clavecin, Ordre no. 3: La Favorite

Royer, La Sensible

Royer, La Marche des Scythes

Jean Rondeau, Harpsichord

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Reviewed at Culture and Congress Centre: Concert Hall, Lucerne on 7 February 2023

Mozart, 12 Variations in C major on "Ah vous dirai-je, maman", K265 (K300e)

Beethoven, Piano Sonata no. 23 in F minor "Appassionata", Op.57

Schumann, Études symphoniques, Op.13

Schubert, Impromptu no. 4 in A flat major, D.899

Grunfeld, Soirée de Vienne, Op. 56 (Concert Paraphrase on Johann Strauss's Waltzes from Die Fledermaus)

Rudolf Buchbinder, Piano

Dances without movement: Couperin reconsidered by Jean Rondeau

Mengguang Huang, 31st January

Jean Rondeau’s anniversary tribute to Louis Couperin reveals a refined but inward-looking aesthetic – beautifully controlled, yet ultimately lacking the rhetorical energy, physicality, and communicative spark essential to this music.

**111

Jean Rondeau illuminates La Chaux-de-Fonds with “Melancholy Grace”

Elodie Olson-Coons, 11th November

French harpsichordist Jean Rondeau’s showcase of late Renaissance music shines.

*****

Strangers in the night: Poulenc makes a rare visit to Paris

Mark Pullinger, 10th March

Corinna Niemeyer conducts the Orchestre de Paris, which had never played Poulenc's Concert champêtre before, and had only given one performance each of the Sinfonietta and Organ Concerto. Incroyable !

***11

Captivating command and a striking Risser première from Jean Rondeau

Nick Boston, 23rd July

A striking première by Eve Risser following Jean Rondeau’s captivating display of the virtuosic heights of French Baroque harpsichord writing.

****1

Maurice Steger thrills with his virtuosic wizardry

Nahoko Gotoh, 3rd July

Maurice Steger brought this essential but under-represented instrument from Renaissance and Baroque chamber and ensumble music to a mainstream concert hall.

*****

Baroque’n’roll: Sunday morning with Jean Rondeau

Leopold Tobisch, 1st February

Jean Rondeau is now taking the French radio and concert halls by storm, quickly making a name for himself and his mastery of the harpsichord.

****1

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Stephen Pritchard

Stephen Pritchard began singing as a treble at the age of eight and progressed to become a tenor in Portsmouth Cathedral Choir, the Gibbons Consort and now the English Chamber Choir. Writing about music has been at the core of his 40-year career in journalism, chiefly at the Observer. He has been known to play a pretty mean jazz double bass.

Le Piano symphonique: in at the deep end for harpsichordist Jean Rondeau in Lucerne