Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
Download 7.88 Kb.
|
| Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
General French composer and pianist. Ravel is often grouped with Debussy as an impressionist, but his style is much more eclectic than is Debussy’s. Like Debussy, Ravel was influenced by Liszt’s music Attended the Paris Conservatoire Part of group known as the “Apaches” (hooligans) because of their wild drinking Studied under Faure for 14 years Tried numerous times and failed to win the Prix de Rome—the last attempt, in which he was favored, became known as the “Ravel Affair” in the Press and led to the resignation of the Director. Ravel maintained a lifelong feud with the his peers, and even rejected the Legion of Honor when he was awarded it in 1920 Family background Mother was Basque father a Swiss inventor Ravel never married, but was known to frequent the bordellos of Paris Ravel believed that his small stature would make him a good candidate to be a pilot during WWI, but he was rejected and became a truck driver for the army His major student was Ralph Vaughan Williams Gershwin attempted to study with him, to whom Ravel reportedly said: “Why should you be a second-rate Ravel when you can be a first-rate Gershwin?” The Ravel Estate currently collects more royalties than any other French composer Music Ravel claimed as his heritage Mozart and Couperin Ravel was also influenced by Jazz Eastern Music Folk song, especially Basque Worked for the Ballet Russe His music is tonal preferred modal scales rather than major and minor frequent use of 9th and 11th chords Unlike Debussy, Ravel treats whole-tone scales and harmonies as dissonance which require resolution. The example in the text (page 542) shows an augmented-sixth chord used as a dominant resolving to a tonic 9th chord. Important works: String Quartet in F (1902-03) L’Heure espagnole (opera) Piano music, especially Menuet antique (1895) which borrows Baroque forms Pavane for a Dead Princess (1899) Chamber music, including sonatas for violin and cello Orchestral music Le Tombeau de Couperin (1914-1917), a memorial (tribute or homage) to Couperin Two piano concertos. The Second Piano Concerto (1929-30) was written for Paul Wittgenstein, who lost his right hand in the War. La Valse (1919-1920) Tzigane (1924) for Violin and Piano (or orchestra) Rhapsodie espagnole Ballets, including Bolero (1928). now most widely known as an orchestral work Daphnis et Chloé (1909-1912) Ma Mére l’Oye (first a piano duet, later a ballet) Songs for voice and piano and voice and orchestra Directory: Robert.Vodnoy -> Music%20History%20IV Music%20History%20IV -> The following study guide is provide for test 4 of the Spring 2006 Music History IV course Download 7.88 Kb. Share with your friends:
|