Jean-Philippe Rameau - Pièces de clavecin (James Richman)

Information

Composer: Jean-Philippe Rameau

• Suite in A Minor, RCT 5
• Suite in E Minor, RCT 2
• Suite in A Minor, RCT 1
• Suite in D Major, RCT 3
• Suite in G Major, RCT 6
• La Dauphine, RCT 12

James Richman, harpsichord

Date: 2026

Label: Rubicon

_____________________

Rameau’s Pièces de Clavecin, composed over a span of twenty years beginning in 1706, represent a cornerstone of the Baroque keyboard repertoire. The collections highlight his refined lyricism, expressive depth, and sophisticated harmonic language, characterized by intricate ornamentation and elegant melodic writing. This recording features harpsichordist James Richman performing on a French double-manual instrument modeled after Pascal Taskin’s 1769 harpsichord. Built in 1980 by John Koster, former curator of keyboards at the National Music Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the instrument has been recently refurbished and expertly voiced by Claire Hammett of London and Sarasota, enhancing its historical authenticity and tonal richness.

James Richman is a distinguished American harpsichordist, fortepianist, and conductor, widely recognized for his leadership in Baroque music and opera. Invited in 1995 to serve as Artistic Director of the Dallas Bach Society, he has played a pivotal role in advancing historically informed performance in the United States. The first musician since Leonard Bernstein to graduate from Harvard, Juilliard, and the Curtis Institute, he studied with eminent teachers including Max Rudolf, Herbert Blomstedt, Rosina Lhevinne, and Albert Fuller, and earned multiple international prizes in early keyboard competitions. Founder of the Concert Royal ensemble and longtime collaborator with Saint Thomas Church in New York, he has conducted major Baroque productions internationally and was named Chevalier in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government.