Miroirs

Ask a question about 'Miroirs' Start a new discussion about 'Miroirs' Answer questions from other users Full Discussion Forum

1. Noctuelles ("Night Moths"), dedicated to Léon-Paul Fargue
   Léon-Paul Fargue
   
   L?on-Paul Fargue was a French poet and essayist.He was born in Paris, France. As a poet he was noted for his poetry of atmosphere and detail....
   . This piece begins with highly chromatic pianissimo scampering across the keyboard. The calmer middle section makes use of chordal melodies and a pedal point; this is followed by a return to the introductory material. Curiously, despite the chromatic nature of the work, this recapitulation is a fifth below the first entry.
2. Oiseaux tristes ("Sad Birds"), dedicated to Ricardo Viñes
   Ricardo Viñes
   
   Ricardo Vi?es was a famous Spanish pianist. He first publicly performed many important works by Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, Erik Satie, Manuel de Falla, D?odat de S?verac and Isaac Alb?niz....
   . A lone bird sings its sad song at the beginning; other birds reluctantly join in. The wild and raucous middle section is offset by a slow, solemn cadenza
   Cadenza
   
   In music, a cadenza is, generically, an improvised or written-out ornamental passage played or sung by a solo or soloists, usually in a "free" rhythmic style, and often allowing for virtuosic display....
   , which returns the piece to the solitude and loneliness of the opening.
3. Une barque sur l'océan ("A Boat on the Ocean"), dedicated to Paul Sordes
   Paul Sordes
   
   Paul Sordes was a member of Les Apaches, a group of artists in early 20th-century Paris whose most famous member was Maurice Ravel; it was at his home that the group regularly met on Saturdays....
     (a painter and fellow member of the Apaches
   Les Apaches
   
   Les Apaches or was a group of French musicians, writers and artists which formed around 1900. Members of the group included:* Edouard Benedictus, painter and composer...
   ). This piece is based around a flowing F# minor/A major arpeggio
   Arpeggio
   
   In music, an arpeggio is a broken Chord where the notes are played or sung in sequence, one after the other, rather than ringing out simultaneously....
   , with simultaneous melodies in the upper and middle registers. The next section changes key abruptly (to B flat), and a muted climax is followed by a striking passage: a tremolo
   Tremolo
   
   Tremolo, or tremolando, is a Musical terminology with several meanings:* A regular and repetitive variation in amplitude for the duration of a single note; this is the most common meaning....
    in the right hand is accompanied by a tremendous G# minor arpeggio in the left hand; when the two meet at fortissimo at the top of the register, they cascade back down the piano. The central section of the piece is based around an ostinato
   Ostinato
   
   In music, an Ostinato is a motif or phrase which is persistently repetition in the same musical voice. The repeating idea may be a rhythmic pattern, part of a tune, or a complete melody....
    in the extreme upper register containing only the notes F# and A; this forms the accompaniment for a Spanish melody. The accompaniment and melody become more insistent, until a fortississimo climax is reached. The tension slowly gives way, and the opening theme returns, providing the piece with a sense of calm and closure.
4. Alborada del gracioso ("The Comedian's Aubade
   Aubade
   
   An aubade is a poem or song of or about lovers separating at dawn.Aubade has also been defined as "a song or instrumental composition concerning, accompanying, or evoking daybreak."...
   "), dedicated to M. D. Calvocoressi
   Michel Dimitri Calvocoressi
   
   Michel Dimitri Calvocoressi was a music writer and music critic of Greek descent.Calvocoressi studied music in Paris, however he was mostly self-educated....
    [Provider of the text to Ravel's Cinq mélodies populaires grecques]. This piece is heavily influenced by Spanish themes, with the introductory chords reminiscent of guitars. The piece is marked by sharp dynamic and textural contrasts; it contains both stunning melodies and passages of considerable virtuosity.
5. La vallée des cloches ("The Valley of Bells"), dedicated to Maurice Delage
   Maurice Delage
   
   Maurice Delage was a French composer and pianist. A student of Maurice Ravel and member of Les Apaches, he was influenced by travels to India and the East....
    [Ravel's first pupil]. It is believed that the inspiration of the piece lay in the sound of church bells, though it is unknown whether Ravel's "Valley" is Swiss or French. Ravel evokes many different bells throughout this piece; from the delicate bells of the opening to the quietly booming bells of the close. Some of Ravel's most striking melodies occur in this piece, often with lush harmonizations.

Media

Resources