Joseph Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. Born to a music-loving family, Ravel attended France's premier music college, the Paris Conservatoire; he was not well regarded by its conservative establishment, whose biased treatment of him caused a scandal. After leaving the conservatoire, Ravel found his own way as a composer, developing a style of great clarity and incorporating elements of modernism, baroque, neoclassicism and, in his later works, jazz. He is often associated with Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composers rejected the term. In the 1920s and 1930s Ravel was internationally regarded as France's greatest living composer (from Wikipedia).
As with all posts dedicated to one composer, I will select my 12 favourite works, listed in chronological order. All depicted CD's are from my own collection.
Shéhérazade (1903)
Shéhérazade is a song cycle of three poems for (mezzo) soprano (or tenor) and orchestra (or piano). The songs are based on the exotic texts of the French poet Tristan Klingsor, and evoke Persia of days gone by. I have a strong preference for the female voice in this work, and an even stronger preference for the orchestral version rather than the piano. The version shown above is by Elly Ameling and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra under Edo de Waart on a Philips CD.
String Quartet in F major (1903)
The String Quartet in F major has become a classic of chamber music, just like the Debussy quartet that more or less inspired it. Ravel chooses a four-movement classical structure, and to quote a critic of the time "displays emotional reticence, innovation within traditional forms, and unrivalled technical mastery". The version shown above is by the Melos Quartett on a Deutsche Grammophon CD.
Introduction and Allegro (1905)
Introduction and Allegro is a chamber work for harp, flute, clarinet and string quartet. It is a short piece, typically lasting about ten minutes. It was commissioned by the Érard harp manufacturers to showcase their instruments, and is sometimes described as a miniature harp concerto. The version shown above is by the Melos Ensemble and Osian Ellis, on a Decca CD.
Pavane pour une infante défunte (1910)
The Pavane for a dead (Spanish) princess is one of Ravel's most compelling works. It started as a piano work while he was still studying composition at the Conservatoire de Paris under Gabriel Faure, and was orchestrated eleven years later. The gorgeous lead melody is initially played by the horn in the orchestral version, an original and very effective choice. It is a work that in its honest simplicity can still choke me up after all these years. The version shown above is by the Berliner Philharmoniker under von Karajan on a Deutsche Grammophon CD.
Ma mère l'Oye (1912)
Ma mère l'Oye is French for Mother Goose. There are three versions of this fairy tales music: it started life as five pieces for piano (four hands), which Ravel orchestrated later in the form of a ballet, adding a new prelude and a dance on the theme of a spinning wheel, and changing the sequence of the movements. In the most familiar (and probably best) version, a suite for orchestra, these two additions have been eliminated, and the original sequence has been re-established. This is undoubtedly beautiful music, elegantly orchestrated. The version shown above is by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra under Carlo Maria Giulini on a Deutsche Grammophon CD.
Daphnis et Chloé (1912)
Daphnis et Chloé is a ballet in one act with three scenes. It has been described as a choreographic symphony, and became popular as a concert piece as well, either as such, or in two suites extracted from the work by Ravel himself. Personally, I prefer the original ballet score, which comes with beautiful parts for choir. It is Ravel's longest orchestral work: the average playing time is over fifty minutes. The version shown above is by the Orchestre et Choeur Symphonique de Montreal under Charles Dutoit on a Decca/London CD.
Piano Trio in A Minor (1914)
The Piano Trio is for me one of the best composed for this combination of instruments, possibly because he took an almost orchestral approach to it in order to ensure that the cello is not overpowered by the other instruments. Inspiration for the musical content of this melodic Trio came from a wide variety of sources, from Basque dance to Malaysian poetry. The version shown above is by the Trio Zingara on a Collins CD.
La Valse (1920)
This symphonic poem, originally conceived as a ballet, has been called the most unexpected of Ravel's works. Even though Ravel explicitly stated that it was not meant as a reflection of post-war central Europe, it is easy to make that link. It gives a vision of the glorious Austrian past, with fragments of waltzes by Strauss and Schubert, distorted as if we are looking to the past through the mists of time. We are constantly reminded by Ravel that the waltz originally is a dance associated with death as well, and not just courtesanes whirling away and having fun. The version shown above is by the Boston Symphony Orchestraunder Seiji Ozawa on a Deutsche Grammophon CD.
Tzigane, Rapsodie de concert (1924)
Tzigane was originally composed for violin and piano, but Ravel quickly created a version for violin and orchestra as well - I prefer the latter one. The title, the French word for gypsy, refers to the general sound world, rather than specific gypsy melodies - Ravel used his own ideas throughout. It is a brilliant showpiece, in the fashion if not the style of the likes of Paganini and Sarasate - and echt Ravel. Not among the very best in his oeuvre, but definitely strong. The version shown above is by Itzhak Perlman and the New York Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta on a Deutsche Grammophon CD.
Boléro (1928)
Boléro is a one-movement orchestral piece that was originally composed as a ballet commissioned by Russian actress and dancer Ida Rubinstein. It is Ravel's most famous composition, but opinions about its value are divided in the classical music lovers community. I am firmly on the positive side of the fence. I love its proto-minimalism, and never tire of it. The version shown above is by the Berliner Philharmoniker under Pierre Boulez on a Deutsche Grammophon CD.
Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D major (1930)
The Piano Concerto for the Left Hand is a one movement concerto for the left hand only. It was commissioned by Austrian pianist Paul Wittgenstein who lost an arm in the Great War. Undoubtedly it is one of the important piano concertos of all time - regardless of how many hands. It is an energetic piece, reflecting the time it was conceived in many ways, with fantastic orchestral parts as well as superb piano lines, from melodious to percussive, and typical Ravel throughout.The version shown above is by Krystian Zimerman and the London Symphony Orchestra under Pierre Boulez on a Deutsche Grammophon CD.
Piano Concerto in G major (1931)
The Piano Concerto in G major was one of Ravels' last compositions. Ravel said that in this piece he was not aiming to be profound but to entertain, in the manner of Mozart and Saint-Saëns. Among its other influences are jazz and Basque folk music. And entertaining it is, for me the best piano concerto of the twentieth century. Sandwiched between two "busy" movements, the Adagio Assai middle movement is hauntingly beautiful. The version shown above is by Pascal Rogé and the Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal under Charles Dutoit on a Decca/London CD.
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