Why
the sensuous ravel appeals to me
Why the Sensuous Ravel appeals to me is because he is Ravel; the
creator of orchestral, piano, vocal, chamber, opera and ballet music.
His scores were seeped in intellectuality and charged with emotion.
His compositions were unlimited and very few matched his energy.
Ravel was influenced by a great deal of masters ranging from Weber,
Debussy, Chopin among others but Ravel displayed his own brand of
individuality especially in his essential works.
A profuse writer of scores, he would simply shift on to a new score
before he completed the one on hand. A terrific ear for sound, Ravel was
able to pick a note or two from a clap of thunder, movement of the
breeze or the ripples in water.
In the early 90s when pure classical ballet was at its
excellence, it was composers like Ravel who met the challenge of
scoring. Dancing to his music made the perfect partnership. |
Joseph Mayrice Ravel (1875-1937) was one of the two sons of Pierre
Joseph Ravel who was an engineer with the Spanish railway. He nor his
wife had no claim to any form of musical involvement.
There was not even a remote suggestion that the young Ravel would
grow up to be one of France’s greatest composers. Ravel was able to play
the piano even before he turned seven when he barely could stretch his
fingers across an octave.
In 1882 when he was seven, music lessons began and he entered the
Paris Conservatoire when another master, Faure was a teacher. He
remained here for a further sixteen years which was an unusual long
time. He did this under stress to win the coveted Prix de Rome which
earlier Berlioz and Debussy were awarded. But Ravel never made to it.
He tried hard the second time in 1902 but failed. Again his attempt
in 1905 left him humiliated but by this time, Ravel had established
himself as a respected composer. He scored many a lovely piece among
which scheherazade was hauntingly spectacular.
When Ravel offered himself for services either in the army or air
force it had serious effects on him because he was under the required
weight. Ravel was only seven stones, delicately built without much
physical strength. Instead, he became an ambulance driver at the Front
in Verdun.
Though he was physically and emotionally fine, dysentery had adverse
effects and had to recuperate in hospital. Finally his mother’s death
had a toll on him and he withdrew unto himself. Decided never to marry
and moved over to a small villa called Belvedere, after the war.
Essential scores |
1904-05 |
Alborada del
gracioso |
1928 |
Bolero |
1909-12 |
Daphnis et Chloe
(ballet) |
1899 - |
Pavane pour une infant
defunte |
1907 |
Rapsodie espagnole |
1919-20 |
- La vaise |
1929-30 |
Piano concerto for the
left hand |
1929-31 |
Piano Concerto in
G |
1908 |
Gaspard de le
nuit |
1901 |
Jeux d’eau |
1905 |
Allegro for flute,
clarinet and harp |
1924 |
Tzigane |
1925 |
L’enfant et les
sortileges |
|
This was about thirty miles to the south of Paris and lived in
semi-seclusion. He transferred all his affections on his beautiful home.
He lived with his house/ keeper, Siamese cats and love for Debussy.
Ravel continued to produce several masterpieces but was less inspired.
A road accident in 1932 in a Paris taxi from which he never recovered
also found a muscle co-ordination problem although his mind was clear.
He became distressed and attempted to divert his energy on friends and
travel. Friends found him gazing out from his villa for hours.
Stravinsky found his music perfect and stated that ‘Gogol died
screaming, Diaghilev died laughing but Ravel died gradually… and that is
the worst of all’. Suspecting a brain tumour, he opted for surgery but
no tumour was found.
Nine days later, Ravel passed away having briefly regained
consciousness. Shortly before his death, he heard a performance of his
Daphnis Chloe and sighed in tears saying ‘I still have so much music in
my head. I have said nothing. I have so much more to say’.
One of the greatest orchestrates in musical history, Ravel put to use
music ranging from delicate, passionate scores to Vienese waltzes and
seductive charm of Spanish dance. He wrote profusely for ballet and
choreographers sought his music, especially Diaghilev. He also scored
for Ballet Russe with Nikinsky in the lead as well as for Michel Fokine.
He was also commissioned by dancer, Ida Rubinstein. |