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 Maurice Ravel

FLOWING NOTES.gif (3428 bytes)

 

Pavane pour une infante defunte playing in background, composed in 1899.
 

String Quartet in F major 1st movement outline

 

Ravel's Music

  • - Metamorphic ie, an experimental style where he would use a wide array of styles, techniques and idioms
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  • - Clear melody which has a mixture of tonality(keys) and modality(modes) [After the Russian school]
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  • - Frequent use of dorian mode, phrygian (characterictic of Spanish music), whole tone, pentatonic, octatonic scales

  • - Favours intervals of 2nds, 4ths and 5ths

  • - Unresolved chords of 7ths and 9ths, complex harmonies over pedal points

  • - Always rooted in tonality but has modal inflections, bitonality and sometimes atonality

  • - Prefers to join themes together (juxtaposition)

  • - Melody treated with repetition and sequences and usually not developed

  • - Rich texture created by linear motion

  • - Rhythm influenced by dance

  • His Compositions:60 compositions in total - 15 piano work, 8 chamber works, 6 orchestral works, 2 piano concerti, 18 songs with acccompaniment for piano, chamber ensemble or orchestra, settings of folk melodies, 2 operas

  • Other Chamber Works:

    Introduction et Allegro (for harp, accompanied by string quartet, flute and clarinet, 1905)

    Trois Poemes de Stephane Mallarme (voice, accompanied by piccolo, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, string quartet and piano, 1913)

    Trio (piano, violin and cello, 1914)

    Sonate pour violon et violoncelle (Sonata for Violin and Cello, 1920-22)

    Chansons madecasses (voice, flute, cello and piano, 1925-6)
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  • Background of the String Quartet

  • - Composed in 1902-3

  • - Modeled after Debussy's Quartet (1893)

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Possible Long Essay Questions:

1. Compare the Exposition and Recapitulation of the First movement of the String Quartet, concentrating on his use of form and texture.

2. Describe the impressionistic elements of Ravel's String Quartet 1st movement.

3. Comment on Ravel's writing for the strings, refer to specific passages in your answer.

4. Comment on Ravel's use of harmonic language in his String Quartet 1st movement.

Some French terms:

Tres doux - Very Soft

Soutenu - Sustained

Cedez - Slacken/ Slow down

Suivez - Follow through without break

Sur la touche - on the fingerboard

un peu plus lent - a little more slow

Jusqu'a la fin - up to the end
 
 

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