Chopin And Ravel Essay Research Paper Chopin

Chopin And Ravel Essay, Research Paper

Chopin s Ballade is described as a story carried forward by its own momentum, leaping ahead or lingering over some details but never backtracking. While Ravel s Alborada del gracioso is a wild Spanish dance filled with leaps, twirls and excitement.

Frederic Chopin (1810 V 1849) and Maurice Ravel (1875 – 1937), while exhibiting considerable differences in their works, are ranked as two of the most eminent composers in their contribution to piano music. Frederic Chopin is often regarded as the Poet of the Piano, being one of the greatest composers of piano music during the Romantic era which focuses on emotionality. The elements of his pianistic style, his sense of lyricism and unparalleled melodic ideas have produced some of the most pure and most beautiful music ever written, propelling Romantic piano music to its greatest heights. On the other hand, Maurice Ravel was influenced by new ideas and concepts in French piano music. This development was marked by a conception of music as a sonorous art rather than simply as a means of expression. This was in direct contrast to the subjective style of the nineteenth century Romantic movement, which placed emphasis on individual feelings and emotions. It can be hypothesized that Chopin remained as a proponent of the Romantic Period in his compositional style, whilst Ravel, however, writing in the twentieth century, reverted to the Classical styles on occasions to gratify his own fascinations. Through the comparison of the musical elements of Chopin s Ballade in G minor, Op23 and Ravel s Alborada del gracioso from Miroirs, it becomes evident that Chopin s work remained within the framework of the Romantic style while Ravel pursued a course which combined elements of Classicism and Impressionism.

A Ballade is an instrumental piece with an implied narrative. It has been suggested that this Ballade in G minor was inspired by Polish literary ballads by Mickiewicz; however, any relationship between Chopin s music and Mickiewicz s poems is certainly not literal. Unlike many of his contemporaries, most notably Schumann and Liszt, Chopin rarely made literary allusions in the titles of his piano works. Miroirs is one of Ravel s most popular sets of piano pieces. The title was drawn from the pictorial and evocative moods of the pieces and symbolizes the mirrors of reality (Myers 1960). The pieces reveal some of Ravel s rich, exotic and distinctive musical style with the Alborada del gracioso reflecting Ravel s fascination with Spanish elements and qualities. Alborada del gracioso is a morning song about the sharp-witted fool of Spanish classical plays.

These two piece, however, are in contrast stylistically. They may not necessarily be indicative of their respective periods. Chopin ranks as one of music s greatest tone poets by reasons of his superfine imagination and fastidious craftsmanship (Huneker 1966). Mickiewicz s describes the Ballades as dignified in style, simple and natural in expression (Huneker 1966). Chopin s pieces are succinct and expressive of musical poetry and sentimentality. Ravel, on the other hand, adopts a freer, more Impressionistic style, employing Impressionistic elements, such as pedal notes, ostinati, modal scales and parallel chords. These features, however, do not overcome his affinity for the clean melodic contours, distinct rhythms and firm structures of Classicism. He felt that technical mastery of his craft was of more importance and value than the expression of personal feelings. Amongst the many composers, Ravel admired Chopin for the richness of Chopin s harmonic sensibility, yet he loved Mozart. Ravel said I have always drawn inspiration generously from masters. I have never stopped studying Mozart (Mellers 1962). Ravel is noted for his musical craftsmanship and perfection of form and style. Stravinsky compared Ravel to the most perfect of Swiss watchmakers (Myers 1960). There is no impulsive quality to his music. Instead, one finds precision, attention to detail, inventiveness, imagination and sensuous refinement. His work is methodical and well conceived. Each note and phrase is in its place of importance. Alborada del gracioso is of an extreme complexity calling for even greater dexterity on the part of the performer than Jeux d Eau (Myers 1960). The performer should approach this music with imagination and sensitivity to imagery, colour and nuance. The ability to inject these attributes into music and project them in the performance with taste and refinement will make the difference between an interpretation that is artistic or mediocre. In the performance of this music there must always be a marriage between the head and the heart (Myers 1960).

The melody of Ravel s Alborada del gracioso promotes his close association with the clarity of articulation V dry and detached – which suggests the strong influence of certain aspects of Classical tradition. The melody is modal, in Phrygian mode. It is generally contained within a sixth and richly embellished. Ravel s student, Roland-Manuel described Ravel s lyricism as supple, but extremely pure, with contours which strongly indicate something Italian, in the sense of the Italianism of Mozart K The virtuoso quality of Ravel s piano music stems directly from the keyboard traditions of Mozart and Chopin (Orenstein 1968). Chopin was a great inventor of melody. There is always a melody present, g