Keyboard Suites Hewitt

Angela Hewitt performs three keyboard suites by Jean-Philippe Rameau (Suites in E minor, G minor and A minor) on piano for Hyperion (catalogue CDA67597). The recording was made in June 2006 and released by Hyperion in January 2007; total duration is approximately 77 minutes and 59 seconds.

The disc presents a modern-piano reading of Rameau’s keyboard pieces, with attention to ornamentation, rhythmic clarity and tonal colour; production and engineering follow Hyperion’s established classical-recording practice.

Performed and produced as a focused single-disc program, the release highlights several well-known movements from Rameau’s keyboard repertoire.

Pros:

• Angela Hewitt’s playing is widely noted for refined technique, clear articulation and careful ornamentation across the suites.
• Strong production values and engineering with a concert-grand (Fazioli is mentioned in contemporary press coverage) that yields transparent tone and dynamic range.
• Includes notable movements (for example La Poule, Tambourin and Le Rappel des Oiseaux) that showcase Rameau’s variety of dance and character pieces.
• Positive critical reception reported in major classical-music outlets.

Cons:

• This is a modern-piano interpretation rather than a period-instrument/harpsichord performance; listeners seeking historically informed harpsichord sound may find it stylistically different from baroque-original timbres.
• The release covers three selected suites rather than the complete keyboard corpus, so it represents a curated selection rather than a comprehensive edition.