MAURICE
avel R BORN: March 7, 1875, Ciboure, France
DIED: December 28, 1937, Paris, France
Selection from String Quartet in F Major, Movement II. Molto allegro
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Biography Maurice Ravel was a French composer, pianist, and conductor. Born in Ciboure, France, Ravel’s talent for music became apparent at an early age. He entered the Paris Conservatoire at the age of 14, where he composed some of his best known works, including his String Quartet in F Major and Sonatine for piano. Widely regarded among the most significant and influential composers of the early 20th century, Ravel is frequently linked with Claude Debussy as an exemplar of musical Impressionism. In 1928, he toured North America and met George Gershwin, who helped broaden Ravel’s exposure to jazz. The influence of Gershwin and jazz can be heard in Ravel’s later works, including his Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 2 and the Piano Concerto in G.
Fun Facts About Ravel • The music of Ravel and Debussy differed greatly, so much so that they had a rivalry with one another that eventually turned to mutual admiration. • In 1928, he led a four-month, 25-city tour of the United States. Much of his jazz influence came from visits to Harlem and New Orleans with George Gershwin. • Ravel loved to turn piano works into orchestral showpieces, including his own Mother Goose Suite and Le Tombeau de Couperin, as well as Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.
Composer’s Life • Ravel’s father Joseph was an inventor, responsible for a notorious “Whirlwind of Death” circus machine. Joseph took his sons to factories to see the latest machinery and instilled in them a love of music. • The young Maurice Ravel was captivated by new music coming out of Russia, particularly RimskyKorsakov’s. • By age 20, Ravel was something of a dandy — meticulous about his appearance and demeanor. He enjoyed good food, fine wine, and spirited conversation. • Ravel studied composition with Gabriel Fauré, and generally had strong opinions on music and musicians. He described much of Beethoven as “exasperating,” Wagner’s influence “pernicious,” and Berlioz’s harmony “clumsy.”
Featured Work: Selection from String Quartet in F Major, Movement II. Molto allegro Ravel composed his String Quartet in F Major in 1903, while still a student of Gabriel Fauré at the Paris Conservatoire. The work proved to be Ravel’s first major success as a composer, though his submission of the work for the Prix de Rome composition prize led to his expulsion from the Conservatoire. The second movement is a scherzo of sorts, with a fast section marked by an energetic pizzicato motif and lyrical second theme. The use of pizzicato punctuates a rhythmic complexity based on the syncopated cross-rhythms of playing 6/8 and 3/4 in alternating measures, as well as simultaneously in different instruments. The slower middle section transforms the second theme several ways, most notably by having the second violin strum it in chords.
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