i have to admit that i am doing this piece mostly just because it is so accessible and fun, even though there are definitely other things that rameau wrote that might fit better in the arc that i have created with handel and albinoni. not much, though: rameau dedicated himself mostly to operas and harpsichord music. he was also a dedicated theorist about harmony, even though he remained loyal to traditional forms. he replaced lully as the dominant opera composer in france, and was forever embroiled in a debate with them about how complex harmony should be - he made steps that were considered revolutionary.
this opera-ballet was written in 1735, around the beginning of the last forty years of his life he dedicated to writing operas. it was the first work of his which introduced his harmonies into a lighter genre. it is a collection of four acts which depict disjoint scenarios rather than a coherent plot. this rondo is from the fourth act, les sauvages (the savages of america), which is set in north america. a spaniard and a frenchman (alvar and damon respectively) compete for the love of zima, the daughter of a native chief.
unfortunately for them, zima happens to prefer adario, one of her own people. this rondeau is sung in scene 6, after which she has pretty much rejected the other two suitors. they sing of the innocence of their undisturbed love in their undisturbed land, and about their independence from others' wishes and laws.
ok, all i really have to say about this piece in particular is that it actually reminds me quite a bit of the fugue in the albinoni i just posted. isn't it awesome?
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