Composer's Datebook: March 7
French composer and pianist Maurice Ravel is known especially for the subtlety, richness and poignancy of his music. His works, primarily piano, chamber-music and orchestral works, have become repertoire staples.
Joseph-Maurice Ravel was born on March 7, 1875, in Ciboure, France. He studies in Conservatoire de Paris. He was known especially for his melodies, orchestral and instrumental music. Along with Claude Debussy, he was one of the most prominent figures associated with Impressionist music.
Ravel's piano compositions, especially his orchestrations, as in Daphnis et Chloe and his arrangements of Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, are notable for their effective use of tonal color and variety of sound.
His compositions include: Boléro, Pavane pour une infante défunte, Daphnis et Chloé, Ma mère l'oie, Concerto in G, Gaspard de la nuit, Le tombeau de Couperin, La valse, Tzigane, L'enfant et les sortilèges, Jeux d'eau, Violin Sonata No. 2, Concerto for the Left Hand, and many more.
The Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D major (Concerto pour la main gauche en ré majeur) was composed by Maurice Ravel probably in the late 1929 or early 1930. It was commissioned by Paul Wittgenstein, an Austrian pianist. Wittgenstein lost his right arm during World War I. Before writing the concerto, Ravel studied the left-hand etudes of Camille Saint-Saens.
Maurice Ravel is best known for his orchestral work, Bolero, popularised in the movie "10" but just as popular to classical music lovers, Pavanne, written when he was 24 years old, shows another brilliance in his musical art. This piece is sad yet a beautiful melancholy.
He died Dec 28, 1937, in Paris.
Suggested Listening:
Ravel's Daphnis et Chloe (Complete version) in HD. YouTube, uploaded by WDR Sinfonie Orchester Freunde. Accessed January 25, 2018.
Ravel's "Bolero" & "La Valse" , with Maestro Charles Dutoit conducting Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (1996 Move Live). Uploaded by 192bps Sound. Accessed March 7, 2018.
Ravel's Bolero Flash mob from Spain. Uploaded by Societat Musical d'Algemesi. Accessed March 7, 2015.)
Links to Maurice Ravel's Famous Ballet, Daphnis et Chloe:
Daphne et Chloe Complete Ballet. Kennedy Center Program.
Maurice Ravel Daphnis et Chloe - Ballet in three. YouTube, uploaded by Γιώργος Κρητικός. Accessed March 7, 2017.
Video Credit:
Pavane pour une infante défunte - Seiji Ozawa Saito Kinen Orchestra. YouTube, uploaded by Ahmed Elmahdy. Accessed March 7, 2017.
Resources:
Note: I originally published this piece March 7, 2007, with few updates March 7, 2015.
(c) March 2007. Updated March 7, 2017. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.
French Composer Maurice Ravel, famous for Pavanne pour une infante defunte, the ballet Daphnis et Chloe, and Bolero.
French composer and pianist Maurice Ravel is known especially for the subtlety, richness and poignancy of his music. His works, primarily piano, chamber-music and orchestral works, have become repertoire staples.
Joseph-Maurice Ravel was born on March 7, 1875, in Ciboure, France. He studies in Conservatoire de Paris. He was known especially for his melodies, orchestral and instrumental music. Along with Claude Debussy, he was one of the most prominent figures associated with Impressionist music.
Ravel's piano compositions, especially his orchestrations, as in Daphnis et Chloe and his arrangements of Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, are notable for their effective use of tonal color and variety of sound.
His compositions include: Boléro, Pavane pour une infante défunte, Daphnis et Chloé, Ma mère l'oie, Concerto in G, Gaspard de la nuit, Le tombeau de Couperin, La valse, Tzigane, L'enfant et les sortilèges, Jeux d'eau, Violin Sonata No. 2, Concerto for the Left Hand, and many more.
The Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D major (Concerto pour la main gauche en ré majeur) was composed by Maurice Ravel probably in the late 1929 or early 1930. It was commissioned by Paul Wittgenstein, an Austrian pianist. Wittgenstein lost his right arm during World War I. Before writing the concerto, Ravel studied the left-hand etudes of Camille Saint-Saens.
Maurice Ravel is best known for his orchestral work, Bolero, popularised in the movie "10" but just as popular to classical music lovers, Pavanne, written when he was 24 years old, shows another brilliance in his musical art. This piece is sad yet a beautiful melancholy.
He died Dec 28, 1937, in Paris.
Suggested Listening:
Ravel's Daphnis et Chloe (Complete version) in HD. YouTube, uploaded by WDR Sinfonie Orchester Freunde. Accessed January 25, 2018.
Ravel's "Bolero" & "La Valse" , with Maestro Charles Dutoit conducting Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (1996 Move Live). Uploaded by 192bps Sound. Accessed March 7, 2018.
Ravel's Bolero Flash mob from Spain. Uploaded by Societat Musical d'Algemesi. Accessed March 7, 2015.)
Links to Maurice Ravel's Famous Ballet, Daphnis et Chloe:
Daphne et Chloe Complete Ballet. Kennedy Center Program.
Maurice Ravel Daphnis et Chloe - Ballet in three. YouTube, uploaded by Γιώργος Κρητικός. Accessed March 7, 2017.
Video Credit:
Pavane pour une infante défunte - Seiji Ozawa Saito Kinen Orchestra. YouTube, uploaded by Ahmed Elmahdy. Accessed March 7, 2017.
Resources:
- Sadie, Stanley, Ed. The Grove Concise Dictionary of Music. London: Macmillan, 1994.
- www.maurice-ravel.net
Note: I originally published this piece March 7, 2007, with few updates March 7, 2015.
(c) March 2007. Updated March 7, 2017. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.
Hi Tel
ReplyDeleteRavel's Bolero is better known here in the UK for being the music the ice skaters Torvill and Dean used for their Olympic Gold Medal winning ice dance some years ago.
I remember that Liz. Torvill and Dean are popular here in Oz too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by...