One would be well advised to forego fluid intake before a performance of Dardanus, for as its critics complained, the opera was so stuffed with notes that for three hours there wasn’t time enough to sneeze.

The good news is that the suite recorded here lasts a mere 37 minutes and is a treat of pure terpsichorean delight. Ballet still played a central role in French Baroque opera when Dardanus came into being in 1739, and based on the evidence of these dance movements, Rameau invested a good deal of effort into capturing the musical essence of their steps. Lamon and Tafelmusik do likewise in performances that pirouette and plié with stylish elegance and flair.

Rameau was one of music’s greatest—perhaps the greatest—master of the dance, and the two suites offered on this CD will keep your feet tapping for more than an hour. I continue to marvel at the robustness of Tafelmusik’s playing…This is a recording for those who hate period instruments (or think they do), because Tafelmusik’s mastery of them is of such consummate technical and artistic skill that you may well believe you’re listening to modern instruments. This whole disc is a joy from beginning to end. © 2012 Fanfare Read complete review

Looking back on the utter scarcity of Rameau CDs in my own listening library…Tafelmusik’s performance was the first I’d encountered in which disciplined focus and precision were matched by a robust, persuasive sound, so that the music did not merely come across as a museum-piece. Under violinist and director Jeanne Lamon, the mellifluous blend of string, woodwind, and brass timbres struck me as so immediately right, that I had to pinch myself to realize I wasn’t listening to Handel instead. Their Rameau reveals an uncanny ability to use just the right instruments for the emotions he wanted to conjure up.

That includes his stunning use of the piccolos to heighten the excitement of the grand Air de Triomphe…and the golden warmth of the flutes he employs in the Entrée de la Jeunesse… © 2012 Audio Video Club of Atlanta

Tafelmusik…played as well as anyone, with a warmth, elegance, precision, and musicality equal to or better than any group out there, and this Rameau collection proves it.

Just listen to the pile-up of instruments: strings, brass, timpani, and winds, right up to those cute little French flutey things (whatever they’re called). It’s just yummy. If you missed this collection the first time around, now’s your chance to make amends and get some terrific baroque music—and who knows? You may actually listen to it more than once. You’ll be glad if you do. © ClassicsToday.com Read complete review