These two suites of airs de ballet from Rameau's Dardanus and Les Indes galantes were recorded during the 1960s when the Collegium Aureum was then in its infancy but had already reached standards of excellence which were to remain unsurpassed in subsequent years. Dardanus was Rameau's third tragedie en musique and one which is outstandingly rich in alluring instrumental pieces. It may well have been the only one of his operas to have been given an airing in the nineteenth century when in the 1890s it impressed Debussy and the young Marcel Proust. Les Indes galantes was Rameau's first, most successful and nowadays most popular opera-ballet; like Dardanus it is notably well equipped with airs de ballet culminating in a colourful, resplendent ''Chaconne'' with episodes for trumpet. What a contrast exists between this radiant piece and the noble gestures and autumnal sighing of the ''Chaconne'' from Dardanus. For me there is perhaps no finer piece than this of sustained orchestral writing by Rameau, and the Collegium Aureum play it eloquently and with an awareness of its considerable expressive powers. Of a very different character are pairs of robust ''Tambourins'' and ''Rigaudons'' from the Dardanus Suite which come over with infectious vitality and rhythmic elan.
In short these are performances which have withstood the passage of time unusually well. No lover of Rameau's music should overlook them and the reissue is the more enjoyable for its long anticipation. Both Suites are imaginatively directed from start to finish by their two conductors. Recorded sound is excellent.'