ous large portions of the master's work performed at the concerts of La Schola. Credit is due too to M. Saint-Saëns, who undertook the complete edition published by Durand, and had as his collaborators in this task musicians chosen from among the best in France, Vincent d'Indy, Paul Dukas, Claude Debussy, Alexandre Guilmant, Georges Marty, Auguste Chapuis, Reynaldo Hahn, Henri Büsser. The brilliance and varied significance of these names proves what rallying power, what virtue as a banner, is still possessed by the name of the author of Hippolytus: his cause is the cause of French classicism. There is no question, in exalting Rameau, of driving the musicians of later generations to cultivate archaism by direct imitation of his forms. Nothing could be more unreasonable. What is sought is rather to lead them back to grandeur, nobility and simplicity of taste, to elevate their sense of art, to help them to set their feet again firmly and completely on the highway of the great natural French manner.
But the existence of a fine edition is a small thing if it does not result in the conquest of public taste, that is to say, in the regular installation of Rameau in the repertories of our concerts and theatres. We must begin with concerts. Modern theatrical conditions hardly allow of a presentation of Rameau's operas that would respect the features that make its strength and beauty.
On the other hand, what is immediately possible and extremely desirable is that Rameau should take an important place in our Sunday concerts, at Lamoureux', at Colonne's and the Conservatoire. What was done for Wagner twenty and thirty years ago must be done for Rameau; extensive selections and long suites from
