Page 269 - (DK) The Classical Music Book - Big Ideas Simply Explained

MODERN 1900–1950 267

See also: C.P.E. Bach’s Flute Concerto in A major 120–121 ■ Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor 179 ■ Pictures at
an Exhibition 207 ■ Fauré’s Requiem 210–211

Louis Schwizgebel performs
Ravel’s Piano Concerto for Left Hand,
accompanied by the New York Youth
Symphony led by Joshua Gersen, in a
2013 performance in Carnegie Hall.

movement work with a slow-fast-
slow structure lasting less than 20
minutes—usually concertos were
structurally fast-slow-fast. The
piece was commissioned by the
Austrian pianist Paul Wittgenstein,
who was shot in the elbow and lost
his right arm during World War I.
Wittgenstein’s requirement of a solo
part for left hand alone was not as
restricting as it might seem. Ravel
realized that with the use of his
left-hand thumb for melodic
material (instead of the right-hand
fifth finger), it was possible to create of how to blend instruments in memory of the war, the reason
a fuller, more focused, and less different ranges and at different for the commission. Ravel’s
Romantic sound. With clever use of volumes. In this, Ravel was one concerto also includes rhythms
the pedal, the restrictions of using of the great masters. and harmonies influenced by jazz
only one hand were rarely apparent. and blues music. The piano part is
The art of conjuring musical Left-handed sounds rich, spanning the entire keyboard
character through orchestration The concerto features a large with athletic leaps, and so complex
required a thorough understanding orchestra that uses low pitches and that some pianists, such as Alfred
of each instrument’s qualities and darker sounds to give the work Cortot, angered Ravel by playing
playing techniques and knowledge an ominous quality—perhaps in with two hands. ■

Maurice Ravel Born to a Basque mother and a recognized as a great composer.
Swiss father in the Basque region During World War I, Ravel was
of France in 1875, Maurice Ravel an ambulance driver, which
entered the Paris Conservatoire limited his output. Following
at the age of 14 to study piano. a successful tour of North
He later focused on composition, America in 1928, Ravel received
studying with Gabriel Fauré and a blow to his head. He was
becoming acquainted with left unable to compose, and he
Claude Debussy. died of complications following
Gaining acclaim for early surgery in 1937.
works, such as the Pavane pour
une infante défunte (“Pavane for Other key works
a dead princess”), and Shéhérazade,
Ravel’s subsequent failure to win 1899 Pavane pour une
the coveted Prix de Rome in 1905 infante défunte
caused a national scandal. Despite 1912 Daphnis et Chloé
this, he was soon internationally 1928 Boléro

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