Whatever your preconceptions of the harpsichord may be, Jean Rondeau will undoubtedly shatter them all as he takes us to Parnassus, the mythological mountain home of the Muses. Leading the charge of a new generation of keyboardists (including as a founding member of the Jupiter Ensemble, which made a rousing debut in our 2022-23 season), he makes his inaugural PUC appearance with a program exploring the stunning range of the harpsichord. Through works spanning the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries—much of it originally written for the piano—this “champion of his instrument” (Le Temps) asks us to consider what piano repertoire might illuminate about the harpsichord, and what the harpsichord might reveal about music composed for the piano. 

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Jean Rondeau, Harpsichord

Alexander Hall

Heir to a France-based harpsichord tradition that reaches back to Wanda Landowska, Jean Rondeau has been called “one of the most natural performers one is likely to hear on a classical music stage these days” (The Washington Post). At age 21, he became one of the youngest musicians ever to win first prize at the International Harpsichord Competition in Bruges, and he has since launched a career built on bold, unorthodox interpretations of canonic works, brought to thrilling life through the symphony of colors and textures he coaxes from his famously demanding instrument of choice. The title of Rondeau’s artfully curated recital references both a collection of compositions by Italian composer Muzio Clementi and a highly influential counterpoint lesson book by Austrian Baroque master Johann Joseph Fux; the program includes works by both composers, as well as music by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.

Jean Rondeau, harpsichord

University of California, Berkeley

From the rich legacy of psalm settings, our season finale juxtaposes music from the Jewish and Christian traditions. In convertendo (Psalm 126) from the operatic master Jean-Philippe Rameau infuses the psalmist’s words with flair and passion, while companion pieces by Salamone Rossi and J. S. Bach infuse psalm texts with sonorous counterpoint.

Johann Joseph

Events

Past events

Nov 8, 2023

Jean Rondeau, Harpsichord · Princeton University Concerts

Nov 5, 2023

Jean Rondeau, harpsichord · Cal Performances

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