Gigue en rondeau I & II - Nos. 3/4 from Suite in E minor (from Pièces de clavecin avec une méthode)

Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683–1764) was a French composer of renowned operas and music theorist of the Baroque era. He was also one of the leading organists of his day in France. These Gigues were originally written for the harpsichord in 1724 but sound entirely appropriate for the modern piano.

Recently, the Icelandic pianist Vikingur Ólafsson recorded these two pieces on his Debussy & Rameau CD (Deutsche Grammophon), demonstrating a more melodic interpretation (with beautiful embellishments) than might be more normally expected with a dance-like ‘gigue’.  Whichever way you interpret them, they are always beautifully lyrical and a joy to play. F

These two pieces also feature in Gigues & more Jigs, a soon-to-be-published 300-page piano sheet music compendium of Gigues across the last five centuries. A Fullscore Publishing edition.

Listen to Ólaffson play them in his inimitable style on Spotify or on YouTube.