Monday, March 7, 2022

March 7 - Maurice Ravel (The Musical Birthday Series, 4th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for March 7th  can be found here: John Wilbye (2019), Maurice Ravel (2020), and Thomas Linley the Younger (2021)

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Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the Ballet


Since the music was splashy and showy,

Ravel had the savvy to know he

Should cobble some suites

From the musical treats

In his ballet score Daphnis and Chloe.


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Challenge Accepted!

The piece is famous for its difficulty, partly because Ravel intended the Scarbo movement to be more difficult than Balakirev's Islamey.  -- Wikipedia, s.v. "Gaspard de la nuit"

“I’ve just finished Gaspard de la nuit,”

Said Ravel with inordinate glee.

“And it’s harder to play

Than that trash, Islamey,

Which is just what I meant it to be.”


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Snare Do Well


The room for divergence is narrow

In the snare drummer’s part in Bolero;

They stand there and play

While the part makes its way

Like a slow irresistible arrow.

 

 

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