Ravel Prelude in A minor, Dorian mode (1913)- Arthur Houle, piano (with original variants on repeat)
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 มี.ค. 2021
- Colorado Mesa U. - 10/5/09
Arthur J. Houle, piano www.festivalforcreativepianis...
The influence of George Gershwin on Maurice Ravel is well known. When I first discovered this prelude, I assumed Gershwin might have influenced the writing of this gem. However, Gershwin would have been only 13 or 14 years old at that time (1913), which makes the prelude even more remarkable. Who would surmise that it might have been Ravel who influenced Gershwin first, not vice versa? In any case, surely it was destiny that they would eventually meet and become mutual admirers.
The prelude is a short, charming and mesmerizing work, simple yet lush - a rather unique blend of styles that I am tempted to dub "high class romantimpressionistic cocktail music." It's ethereal borderline-jazz "mood music" one might expect more in a nightclub than on the concert stage. By no means, however, is that intended as a put-down. Like all of Ravel's music, it is a sophisticated jewel, notwithstanding its brevity (27 measures). Remarkably, it was written as a sight-reading exercise for a women's competition at the Conservatoire and dedicated to the winner of the contest, Jeanne Leleu [ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanne_... ].
For this performance, at 1:26 I repeated all but the last two measures and introduced original variants. The score does not call for this, but it's the kind of liberty that Gershwin would have liked.
Given that there is precious little easy Ravel music, this relatively unknown work is a great introductory piece for piano students.
Practice/performance tips:
• The tempo indication calls for rubato; nevertheless, make sure to scrupulously count throughout. Students often rush egregiously in places - e.g., between the first and second beats of m. 13 and for the half note in m. 22.
• Ravel's pedal indications are sparse; however, much more pedal is desirable, according to taste.
• Mm. 10-15: Play all the thirds in the left hand with the 2nd and 4th fingers. The left hand, with a high wrist, should hover OVER the right hand (not vice versa). To ensure clean legato with some color, use syncopated damper pedaling, lifting the pedal with each note of the left hand.
• For the right hand chord downbeat of m. 16, play the bottom note (G) with the left hand thumb (it's easier, especially for pianists with smaller hands). Make sure to either physically hold or damper pedal ALL the notes of this rolled chord so that they continue to sound throughout the measure. Savor the full, rich sound of the F minor 9th chord.
• Mm. 17 & 19: For the left hand, try finger pedaling (overholding the notes) rather than damper pedaling and play the right hand notes with clean legato. This way it will sound like you are pedaling in the left hand, but not the right - a cool effect! (If you damper pedal throughout the measures, the right hand will sound dreadful because of the eighth notes "D" and "C".)
• Take seriously Ravel's explicit pedal mark - and the crescendo - at mm. 20-22. Think of the downbeat "D" at m. 22 as a sonorous French horn that carries the melodic line into the ensuing measures (which is why the counterintuitive crescendo is so important).
• M. 23 right hand: Consider playing the bottom-voiced "E" and "D" (2nd & 3rd beats) with the left hand rather than as indicated (it's easier to technically manage the G# tie and the legato).
• The top note "B" at the downbeat of m. 24 is not a tied note (what may look like a tie is just the tail end of a slur). Despite the decrescendo, this "B" must be played with sufficient tone to proclaim itself as the final melody note (everything thereafter is the codetta, which should be played like a dying parenthetical wisp).
• Consider pedaling the last four measures as one long damper pedal if you like the lush sonority (or perhaps do a tapered release to create a kind of evaporation effect). However, if you believe that the piece modulates to C Major at the end, then pedal accordingly - i.e., lift the pedal at that point. (It is wonderfully French of Ravel to leave this issue ambiguous, no?)
• Don't neglect the tempo shifts in mm. 15, 16, 23 and the end of 25. I believe there could be an implied "a tempo" at m. 24. (Robert Schumann was another composer who sometimes wrote ritards without explicitly indicating when to snap back to tempo.)
• Creative souls may consider repeating all but the last two measures - perhaps more often than I did on this recording - in order to do tasteful, stylistically appropriate original variants. One of my students once performed it five times, successively more embellished, until the fifth and final "straight" playthrough (wherein the piece was once again played exactly as written). This is akin to what jazz pianists do when playing from a lead sheet.
• Music (public domain)
imslp.org/wiki/Category:Ravel...
• See also "Homage to Ravel" (inspired by this prelude)
• Homage to Ravel by Art...
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I have a passion for creativity. In 2001, I founded the Festival for Creative Pianists, a unique online and in-person venue. Complete info -- history/programs/enrolling/donating: www.festivalforcreativepianists.org/
I’m just now getting into this kind of music.. I can feel the emotion and element it gives off.. it lets me know that everything is going to be okay
Sounds great! You can really hear how jazz pianists Herbie Hancock and Bill Evans were inspired by Ravel listening to a piece like this.
'jazz chord' is just a euphemism for 'French harmony'
In Miles Davis' autobiography, he talked about how he and Bill Evans would listen to Ravel for hours and study his music, and that the Kinda Blue record was kind of a tribute to Ravel. The idea of breaking away from traditional jazz progressions and using different modes to create a certain mood, in fact the first song on the record "So What" is based on the Dorian mode just like this piece.
True
A terrific Ravel piece for piano teachers to assign students who can already play the Pavane but aren't quite ready for the Sonatine.
I'd say this is easier than the Pavane. The Pavane needs a variation of touch which is quite tricky to achieve.
Ravel wrote this for a sight reading comprehension for students.
Oh Ravel. You freak out my imagination every time. And Arthur, you bring out the most exquisite moments. Respectful, awesome liberties. Thank you, both of you!
On behalf of Ravel and me, we appreciate your nice feedback, Wynn-Anne. Thanks for listening. 🙂
The first piece that i have ever learned, i really love this
This sounds só jazzy
And your interpretation is exquisite.
Fantastic!
Extraordinarily well written introduction and description of the work, also you play the piece with a remarkable amount of liberties taken, something which is sorely lacking in classical performance, cheers!
Magnificent. Great feel and touch!!
Love this one
Obvioulsly, Beethoven was also deeply influenced by George Gershwin while writing the 3d variation of his OP.111. The fact that GG was born some 71 years after the death of LvB is only an insignificant prosaic detail.
LOL! That is one weird and amazing variation!
I sure like this!
Keep up the good work, Art!
Thanks Arthur, yes I know this piece 👍🏻🎹. But my experience with it is that it's for many (amature)pupils already soon too hard, with the crossing of hands especially, the legato octaves, phrasing the overall musical story....not that the Menuet I play on my channel is so much easier (also big chords, very difficult nuanced pedals, very difficult voicing and shading of chords) but somehow the Menuet is more 'rewarding' so to speak for the intermediate player...if you know what I mean.
Nice by the way this variants! I did not know them!
And, coincidentally, I also encourage my students to repeat that Menuet: it's so 'natural' to do that, with the upbeat. And it's so short otherwise! Although I did not do it myself, on my upload, but I should have done 🥺😅
Here still working on "Blackbird".....🥹not easy to play it correct and fluent and without mistakes and with the right groove. There is already a very good virtuosic jazzy one, on TH-cam, but I think I want to play it more with the original McCartney structure. I'm taking as a basis, by the way, the Bob Patin version, but he uses in his arrangement eight notes as the basic rhythm, while McCartney uses sixteenth notes to get that special groove..which makes it of course way more difficult to play. But, I'm trying :) and I hope to play it one day on my channel ☺️
Kind regards, still really enjoying all your uploads. So many ! And so good!! I love your Beethoven and Chopin lesson from the '90s, with the organ player: so much to think about and study on!
Simon 🎹
Thanks for letting me know about the menuet! Your recording is terrific.