Terpsichore, the Greek goddess of dance and chorus. How appropriate that her delight in dancing should be honored in Terpsichore: Apotheóse de la Danse baroque (Alia Vox), the latest beautifully produced and packaged Alia Vox SACD from Jordi Savall and his baroque orchestra, Le Concert des Nations. Filled with high energy orchestral music by Jean-Ferry Rebel (1666–1747) and the even longer-lived Georg Philipp Telemann (1681–1767), the recording exalts the exuberant French style of instrumental dance music that became popular during the rise of the baroque orchestra in the courts of Kings Henry IV and Louis XIII in the early 17th century.
Rebel’s La Terpsichore (1720), Les Caractères de la Danse (1715), Les plaisirs champêtres (1724), and Fantasie (1729) are the big finds here. Auditioned in 24/88.2, Savall’s baroque orchestra of 22 players fills the space with some of the most delightful and graceful court music you may ever wish to hear. The lightness and unstudied elegance of Rebel’s music not only set it apart from the pack; they also provide a fitting showcase for the many sides of Savall, a conductor and viola da gamba master whose frequent tackling of weighty subjects that include racism, xenophobia, and the need for unity amongst diverse nations has clearly not robbed him of joy.
Once you hear this recording, which includes all of Rebel’s principal works in the world of dance and choreographed symphonies, you will not question Savall’s assertion in the liner notes that “Rebel created the first and most beautiful choreographed symphonies on dance.” Nor will you fail to notice that the German-born Telemann, that great friend of Handel who wholeheartedly embraced the French style and became one of its great exponents in Germany, writes in a weightier but no less engaging style. Prepared to be wowed by the concluding “Furioso” movement of Telemann’s Ouverture-Suite in B (1733) from Tafelmusik, Part III, No.1 for two oboes, two solo violins, two violins, viola and basso continuo. Paying as much attention to his bass foundation to his tangy, soaring strings, Savall encourages his orchestra to rip into this music for all it’s worth.
The recording’s sound, captured by David Galán in July 2017 in the modern and superbly resonant Helmut List Hall in Graz, Austria during the annual Styriarte Festival, is so full that it’s hard to believe that only 22 people at the most are performing at any one time. Miking is close enough that you’ll hear the clicking keys on the baroque woodwinds.
Catherine Cessac, author of a major book on Rebel, contributes detailed liner notes on each of his works on the recording. If you’re seeking that kind of analysis, you know where to head. Frankly, I was too busy smiling to think about much else than delight.
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