that prioritized atmosphere and emotions in music rather than a strict adherence to classical structure and form . He was not entirely comfortable with this term , but there is no doubt that Ravel was a genius when it came to orchestral color , texture , and mood .
Throughout his career Ravel composed many brilliant works for solo piano , yet it wasn ’ t until the age of 55 that he attempted a piano concerto , upon the request of Paul Wittgenstein .
Wittgenstein , an Austrian pianist , was born into one of the richest families in Europe and had just begun a promising career as a soloist when World War I broke out . Within a month of joining the military he lost his right arm after his troupe was ambushed by the Russians . When the war finally ended , Wittgenstein was determined to salvage his career and commissioned many prominent composers of the day to write pieces that would require only the left hand . Though Strauss , Prokofiev , Britten , and Hindemith all contributed to the repertoire , it was Ravel ’ s concerto that had a lasting impact .
The Concerto for Left Hand is a brooding piece with a darkness and power that alludes to the tragedies of war that brought about its commission . Ravel embraced the challenge of writing for one hand : the piano part covers the full range of the instrument with such depth that the ear would never guess of the limitations placed on the composer and performer . The piece begins with low rumbles in the basses from which the contrabassoon emerges , followed by the horns . The orchestra builds to a breaking point before the piano bursts forth with an overwhelming force of energy . After a second orchestral climax , the piano plays the tender theme that was first introduced by the horns . Another exquisite buildup leads to a riotous release of tension and the onset of the frenzied dancelike Allegro section . The relentless pulse and falling chords that puncture the texture carry a hint of menace . A final cadenza riffs on all the themes before the orchestra enters for a brief and thrilling coda .
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Instrumentation Three flutes including piccolo , two oboes , English horn , two clarinets , E-flat clarinet , bass clarinet , two bassoons , contrabassoon , four horns , three trumpets , three trombones , tuba , timpani , percussion , harp , and strings .
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