Ravel: Frontispice for poème du Vardar

‘This Ravel recital is quite outstanding in every way’. Penguin Guide Rosette

Ravel was a pianist, and the piano was central to his art. The piano was the instrument through which he discovered and expressed innovations in style, technique and expression. He composed at the piano, and, unsurprisingly, many of his orchestral works (Bolero being the exception) appeared in piano versions. Although his entire output is modest – around 60 works, he transcribed more than half of these works for 2 pianos, or piano duet.

Apart from the well known works, this 2cd set contains some little known pieces – Entre cloches of 1897 was only published in 1975, and was originally appended to the Haberna, now better known as the 3rd movement of Rapsodie espagnole. Frontispice for 2 pianos, 5 hands was written in 1918.

Ravel’s mother had died in 1917, and he was deeply attached to her. Her loss resulted in 3 years of musical silence, with the exception of Frontispice. It is a short and very experimental work published with a collection of philospohical war poetry by the Italian Ricciotto Canudo. It is a curiously evocative work, almost surreal.

Discover musical gems from a bygone age with our new recording of Aeolian Company piano rolls (1921), authentically performed by the accomplished pianolist Rex Lawson.<br /><br />What is a pianola and how is it used?<br /><br />The pianola (popular in many households between 1900 and 1930) is a foot-operated player-piano with a complete set of 88 felt-covered wooden fingers that sit over the keyboard of a normal piano and play the keys as indicated by tiny perforations on interchangeable rolls of paper. The operator, or ‘pianolist’, achieves dynamic shading of the music by varying the degree of pressure applied to the foot pedals. In addition, a set of handoperated levers mounted just below the front of the keyboard provide accentuation, tempo control, activation of the sustain and soft pedals and selection of play and rewind modes. In the hands of an accomplished operator, a convincingly lifelike musical performance is achievable.

28th December 2012 marks the 75th Anniversary of the death of Maurice Ravel, the great French composer, best-known for his beautiful melodies, orchestral & instrumental textures and mesmeric compositional effects.

Many consumers will know Ravel through his masterpieces, such as: Boléro, Pavane pour une infant défunte, Rapsodie espagnole, Gaspard de la nuit, Ma Mère l’oye, Daphnis et Chloë, Le Tombeau de Couperin and La Valse.

For the first time ever, a 14-CD Box Set containing the COMPLETE EDITION of Ravel’s compositions. This is the flagship product, the first time ever that a complete Ravel Box has been issued by any classical label.

In addition to detailed tracklists and artist information to Decca’s high house standard, the 184 page booklet offers full sung texts in original French and with English translation. A 3000-word appreciation of Ravel by Nigel Simeone appears in English, French and German.