Jean-Philippe Rameau replaced Jean-Baptiste Lully as the dominant composer of French opera, and is also considered the leading French composer of his time for the harpsichord, alongside François Couperin.
The French Baroque is a wonderful place to visit – not just a world of fantastical ornaments and slightly dotted but not completely music. Try Les Élémens from 1738 by Jean-Féry Rebel – ballet music that at the start depicts Chaos in a far more dramatic and perhaps realistic way than Haydn’s Chaos 60 years later.
Today’s choice is the fourth section from Rameau’s 1735 opera Les Indes galantes (French: “The Amorous Indies”), unified by the theme of love in exotic places (The Ottoman Empire, Peru, Persia, and North America).
Let’s just be clear: this is not a title or perhaps even content we’d use now, even if Rameau’s plot does see the Europeans and natives living together in peace. From our 21st century view, it’s a bit of a mess – in the same way that the West Indies are so called because at a time when discovery of the world was happening, those going due west from Europe landed in what they thought was part of the Far East, without realising the continent of America was in the way.
However, from a musical point of view, this part of the opera contains perhaps Rameau’s most famous work – called either Les Sauvages, or “Forêts paisibles“
in North America, a Spaniard and a Frenchman compete for the love of Zima, daughter of a native chief. She prefers one of her own people, so everybody joins in the Dance of the Peace Pipe to music which Rameau was recycling for at least the third time. And then they sing this song to the same music.
https://lyricbod.blogspot.com/2009/04/forets-paisibles-jean-philippe-rameau.html
Often we hear this as a harpsichord solo (below), which is just the accompaniment to the original “Forêts paisibles” – what fun drum playing!
Forêts paisibles – jamais un vain désir ne trouble ici nos coeurs.
Peaceful forests – never (may) a vain desire trouble here our hearts.
S’ils sont sensibles, Fortune, ce n’est pas au prix de tes faveurs.
If they are sensitive, Fortune, it is not at the price of your favours.
Dans nos retraites, Grandeur, ne viens jamais offrir tes faux attraits!
In our retreats, Greatness, never come to offer your false attractions!
Ciel, tu les as faites pour l’innocence et pour la paix.
Heaven, you have made them for innocence and for peace.
Jouissons dans nos asiles, jouissons des biens tranquilles!
Let’s enjoy our refuges, let’s enjoy peaceful things.
Ah! peut-on être heureux, quand on forme d’autres voeux?
Ah! Can one be happy when one has other wishes?
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