RAVEL ’ S PIANO CONCERTO IN G
It was instead a sort of staged cantata in which each of the four singers was not consistently associated with any single character . They were to be stationed with the orchestra at the back of the stage while the roles were to be acted in mime in front of them .
Instrumentation : Flute ( doubling piccolo ), oboe ( doubling English horn ), clarinet ( doubling E-flat clarinet ), bassoon , two horns , trumpet , timpani , two tambourines , small snare drum , triangle , cymbals , bass drum , cimbalom , two violins , viola , cello , double bass , in addition to two solo tenor singers and two solo bass singers .
From the Podium
Ravel ’ s Piano Concerto in G
by Jonathon Heyward
The underlying thematic line uniting this program draws inspiration from the idea of folk tunes . From the first downbeat in Renard , we sense a rustic feeling , the scenery of country farm living emerging through Stravinsky ’ s amazing sense of illustration . Then we go to the Ravel , and its jazz idioms that make the concerto so timeless . I feel that jazz is an extension of folk , an extension of the people ’ s music : hymns and spirituals . Finally , of course , we have Bartók , famously steeped in Romanian folk tunes . His Concerto for Orchestra , like those to come later in the season , is a terrific opportunity to put our musicians up front and center — everyone becomes a soloist at one point or another .
Maurice Ravel
Born March 7 , 1875 , in Ciboure , Basses-Pyrenées , France Died December 28 , 1937 , in Paris , France
CONCERTO FOR PIANO AND ORCHESTRA [ 1931 ]
Maurice Ravel composed both of his piano concertos more or less simultaneously from 1929 to 1931 : the Concerto for the Left Hand ( 1929 – 30 ) and the Concerto for Piano [“ Both-Hands ”] and Orchestra ( 1929 – 31 ). He sometimes surprised colleagues by revealing that pieces they didn ’ t know about were well along in their gestation . So it was that the pianist Marguerite
Though I have not professionally worked with Alice Sara Ott , we are nonetheless sharing a very special reunion . Nearly ten years ago , I was in the semi-final round of the International Besançon Competition for Young Conductors , leading Ravel ’ s Piano Concerto in G — Alice Sara Ott was the concerto soloist . There were eight competitors , so she played the concerto eight times , and each time was incredible . Though it was somewhat unorthodox , we ended up speaking , expressing our mutual enjoyment in working with each other and hoping , regardless of what the future held , that we would get the chance to perform together again . Now , we finally have that chance .
Long ( a notable interpreter of Fauré ’ s and Debussy ’ s music , as well as Ravel ’ s ) recalled a gathering sometime in the 1920s :
Ravel said to me point-blank : “ I am composing a concerto for you . Do you mind if it ends pianissimo and with trills ?” “ Of course not ,” I replied , only too happy to realize the dream of all virtuosi .
One heard nothing more until 1927 , the date of Ravel ’ s journey to North America .
But after his return a year elapsed before the Concerto was put in hand .… Negotiations took place for a first performance … in Holland , and the Concertgebouw even announced it with the composer as soloist for March 9 , 1931 .
In fact , Ravel had rather retracted his gift to Long and , spurred by the success of his American tour , fixed on the idea of premiering the concerto himself . But it was not to be . Long continued :
The long hours spent on the Etudes of Chopin and Liszt greatly fatigued him .… Even when this was evident he still wished to be the first to play his work , and it was only when pressed by his friends … that he realized the difficulties confronting him in this formidable undertaking .
It can be understood how I was seized with agitation when on November 11 , 1931 , Ravel telephoned … announcing his immediate arrival with the manuscript . I had hardly composed myself when he entered holding out the precious pages . Hastily I turned to the last page to look for the pianissimo and the trills : they had become fortissimo and percussive ninths !
When Ravel described this concerto to his critic-friend M . D . Calvocoressi , he observed : “ The music of a concerto should , in my opinion , be lighthearted
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