Fanfarinette and La Triomphante (from Suite in A minor)

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Walkthrough

Jean-Philippe Rameau was an important composer and theorist of the High Baroque. He wrote three books of very fine pieces for harpsichord - Fanfarinette and La Triomphante come from the Suite in A minor (third book), and are examples of character pieces with descriptive or fanciful titles typical of the French style. Fanfarinette derives from the word fanfaron (meaning “braggart”), and calls for light and graceful treatment. La Triomphante evokes a feeling of triumph and exuberance; experiment with a non-legato touch in the quavers and a stronger dynamic (f, dropping to a mf after the double bar line). Pedal is best avoided. The ornaments are much harder to execute on the piano than the harpsichord. Beginning on the beat, they call for considerable delicacy of touch, especially when they occur in both hands simultaneously.

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