Maurice Ravel - Trois Mélodies hébraïques
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ก.ย. 2024
- Maurice Ravel
Trois Mélodies hébraïques
1. Kaddisch
2. L'enigme éternelle
3. Meyerke, main Suhn
Daphna Cohen-Licht mezzo-soprano
No. 1, "Kaddisch," has on the surface a very un-Ravellian character. The singer bends and twists through a flashy, ethnically inflected (meaning, of course, Middle Eastern, in a manner sometimes seemingly authentic and sometimes less so), mock-improvised terrain to what is at first just sparse comment from the piano/orchestra. But, listening a little deeper, we realize that only Ravel would have fashioned those octave G naturals, and the sliding voice in between them, in just that way (and few indeed are the composers with courage enough to put the singer out there on a limb all alone for so much of the song!). As the song moves along and the piano begins a rich, harp-like arpeggiated accompaniment, which prompts something a little more song-like from the singer; Ravel as we know him comes rather more to the surface of the music.
No. 2, "L'énigme éternelle" is, by comparison with the ever-changing, gust-and-blow rhythmic quality of the previous song, as stable and steady as it gets. A quietly repeating one-measure cell starts up in the accompaniment at the very beginning of the song and never lets up; but the way Ravel allows this little unit to shift around chromatically is masterful, and it never grows stale. The song, whose dynamic spends most of the time at pianissimo and never grows more robust than piano, is a wonderful example of the kind of tranquil but shimmering musical understatement of which Ravel was so admirably capable.
![Maurice Ravel - Shéhérazade [With score] (Reupload)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/paZ7LXd_wKM/mqdefault.jpg)
0:06 I
4:59 II
6:14 III
Que maravilla por Dios! Los cantos y la interpretación también.
What a fabulous voice. Totally unknown Ravel for me. First song, the words are from the "mourners kaddisch", a prayer for the dead recited by immediate family during certain days of the year or during the mourning period. The music is entirely Ravel's imagination with very little connection to a Jewish tune. The second and third songs are sourced from Yiddish songs; the words are Yiddish. Whether Ravel's rendering has any relationship to an original Yiddish tune, I have no idea. I am now reminded that Prokofiev and several other Russian composers wrote "Hebraic" songs. Mussorgsky comes to mind and maybe Kabalevsky. This is a minor Ravel gem. Thanks for uploading.
The text/melody for the kaddish is the chatzi kaddish from a High Holiday service, possibly Yom Kippur mincha or musaf (the tune used these days is Chasidic, but there's an older tune). It's definitely not Ravel's own invention and it's definitely High Holiday.
Quale straordinaria intensità espressiva.Coinvolgente Ravel.
The first song is so otherworldly.
The third song`s name is "Chanson hébraïque". It is №4 of "Chants populaires" of Ravel
Touching
Lovely
I can't find any information on Ravel and his religion, but the fact that he composed a version of the Mourners Kaddish is beyond me. I mean, of all Hebrew songs, the Mourners Kaddish? I'm at a loss for words. Not in a bad way. Us Jews recite this during the mourners Kaddish on High Holy days, and pretty much any major service during the Jewish holiday calendar, to commemorate those we've lost. I really want to find more information about Ravel and his motives behind writing this. There has to be some Jewish roots in there.
Ravel's parents were Roman Catholic, the father French, the mother from Basque origins. Maurice himself was very private about his beliefs but most think he was atheist. He never wrote any liturgical music, which makes the Hebrew songs stand out. But Ravel also astonished everybody when he volunteered for the Air Force in 1914 as he was known as a dandy......Ravel used many Hungarian, Greek, Spanish, Hebraic elements in his music as he was by nature attracted to music from different regions, just like Debussy was with gamelan etc. etc.
@@bartjebartmans Thank you! It's very interesting and almost heartwarming that he arranged the Kaddish into this beautiful piece of music. I find it truly remarkable that he was so open minded even during the world war eras to write such a meaningful song from the Jewish religion. Thanks for the response!
Maurice's mother was known as a "free thinker". It is possible Ravel had the Dreyfuss affair still fresh in his memory. Darius Milhaud wrote also many hebraic inspired works and dedicated his Sonata for 2 violins to his Jewish childhood friend writer Armand Lunel, the last person who spoke Judeo-Provencal.
Perhaps I can help- this is a “half Kaddish” and not the Mourner’s Kaddish. Kaddish is a doxology interposed at various points in the Jewish service containing only words of praise and asking for peace, and is recited by the cantor.
Ravel most certainly did not compose this melody from scratch as it is not original - it is a slight variation of the traditional tune for the half-Kaddish used only before the Additional Service (Mussaf) on the High Holydays - 3 days a year and would never be used at any other time of the year. The tune is more of a mode or “nusach” that may be sung in a variety of ways but is instantly recognisable to those familiar with Jewish prayer modes.
"In 1914 Russian soprano Alvina Alvi commissioned Ravel to harmonize two Hebrew melodies: Kaddisch, a hymn of adoration of God and L’énigme éternelle, the eternal puzzle. Despite his agnosticism, Ravel understood and complemented the spiritual depth of each melody.
Como usa la escala armonica! Te amo Ravel
the "kaddish" isn't meant to capture "middle eastern" manner; the scales and melismatic style are drawn from Ashkenazi (i.e. central and eastern european) cantorial music
I think no interpretation matches that of Myra Zakai. So stylistic. Ravel asked for the last two phrases to be connected. It's wonderful that way.
discoveries of TH-cam...
How come no notes on the third song?
Good question, Jack. Let's think positive and say that having the notes on the first two is great!
As I mostly post scores it must be obvious I didn't have the 3rd.song, but for completeness sake I added it with lyrics, which for a song is not a bad substitute either, so people can read along with the poem.
Agreed, certainly. I'm not complaining, really. I was just wondering. To be positive, I positively love this repertoire, and the performances, too.
And much appreciated,too. Don't get me wrong. I wasn't complaining, just wondering. Superb performances. Thanks for posting, and for all the fine recordings with scores. Keep it up.
Thank you Jack, you are welcome.
Absolutely magnificent offering from one of our greatest composers, one who can always surprise. I heard these songs on the radio stuck at a traffic light in Vigo. The first is pure flamenco. I LOVE it.
fantastic! beautifully sung...
Peut-être encore plus beau qu'avec C. Bartoli !!
"Meyerke main Suhn, oif vos darfs du chayei?" "Kol chai yoducho Tatenju". "Meir my son? What do need life for?" "So that I can thank you Papa".