The Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D major was composed by Maurice Ravel between 1929 and 1930, concurrently with his Piano Concerto in G major. It was commissioned by the Austrian pianist Paul Wittgenstein, who lost his right arm during World War I. The Concerto had its premiere on 5 January 1932, with Wittgenstein as soloist performing with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.
Ravel is quoted in one source as saying that the piece is in only one movement[6]: 41 and in another as saying the piece is divided into two movements linked together.[6]: 41 According to Marie-Noëlle Masson, the piece has a tripartite structure: slow–fast–slow, instead of the usual fast–slow–fast.[6] Whatever the internal structure may be, the 18–19 minute piece negotiates several sections in various tempi and keys without pause. Towards the end of the piece, some of the music of the early slow sections is overlaid with the faster music, so that two tempi occur simultaneously.
The concerto begins with the double basses softly arpeggiating an ambiguous harmony (E-A-D-G) being the background to an unusual solo of the contrabassoon. Although these notes are later given great structural weight, they are also the four open strings on the double bass, creating the illusion at the start that the orchestra is still tuning up. As is traditional in a concerto, the thematic material is presented first in the orchestra and then echoed by the piano. Not so traditional is the dramatic piano cadenza which first introduces the soloist and prefigures the piano's statement of the opening material. This material includes both an A and a B theme, though the B theme receives little exposure. An additional theme introduced at the beginning exhibits several similarities to the Dies iraechant.
An excerpt from the faster section, sometimes referenced as the scherzo, is shown in the following example.
Throughout the piece, Ravel creates ambiguity between triple and duple rhythms. This example highlights one of the more notable instances of this.
Although at first Wittgenstein did not take to its jazz-influenced rhythms and harmonies, he grew to like the piece. When Ravel first heard him play the concerto at a private concert in the French embassy in Vienna, he was furious. 'He heard lines taken from the orchestral part and added to the solo, harmonies changed, parts added, bars cut and at the end a newly created series of great swirling arpeggios in the final cadenza. The composer was beside himself with indignation and disbelief.' Later Wittgenstein agreed to perform the concerto as written, and the two men patched up their differences, 'but the whole episode left a bitter taste in both their mouths'.[7]
In May 1930 Ravel had had a major disagreement with Arturo Toscanini over the correct tempo for Boléro (he conducted it too fast for Ravel's liking, who said he should play it at the slower speed he had in mind, or not at all).[8][9] In September, Ravel patched up the relationship and invited Toscanini to conduct the world premiere of the Piano Concerto for the Left Hand, but the conductor declined.[10]
Even before the premiere, in 1931 Alfred Cortot made an arrangement for piano two-hands and orchestra;[11] however, Ravel did not approve of it and forbade its publication or performance.[12] Cortot ignored this and played his arrangement, which caused Ravel to write to many conductors imploring them not to engage Cortot to play his concerto. After Ravel's death in 1937, Cortot resumed playing his arrangement, and even recorded it with Charles Munch leading the Paris Conservatoire Orchestra.[13]Roger Muraro also played this piece during the 1986 International Tchaikovsky Competition, earning him fourth place in the piano competition.
References
^Davidson, Michael (26 October 2000). Concerto for the Left Hand: Disability and the Defamiliar Body. Oxford University Press. p. 2. ISBN9780198026341.
^. San Francisco Symphony. October 2015. Archived from the original on 21 April 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
^Sachs, Harvey (1987). Arturo Toscanini dal 1915 al 1946. EDT srl. p. 50. ISBN9788870630565.
^Timbrell, Charles (1999). French Pianism: A Historical Perspective. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 148. ISBN9781574670455.
^ abcMasson, Marie-Noëlle (1998). "Ravel: Le Concerto Pour La Main Gauche Ou Les Enjeux D'un Néo-Classicisme". Musurgia. 5 (3/4): 37–52. JSTOR 40591796.
^Waugh, Alexander. The House of Wittgenstein, pp. 184–186
^Mawer, Deborah (2006). The Ballets of Maurice Ravel: Creation and Interpretation. Ashgate. p. 224. ISBN9780754630296.
^Dunoyer, Cecilia (1993). Marguerite Long: A Life in French Music, 1874–1966. Indiana University Press. p. 97. ISBN0-253-31839-4.
^English translation and facsimile of French original in Sachs, Harvey (1987). Arturo Toscanini from 1915 to 1946: Art in the Shadow of Politics. Turin: EDT. p. 50. ISBN88-7063-056-0.
^Howe, Blake (April 2010). "Paul Wittgenstein and the Performance of Disability". Journal of Musicology. 27 (2): 135–180. doi:10.1525/jm.2010.27.2.135. JSTOR 10.1525/jm.2010.27.2.135.
^Zank, Stephen (24 May 2013). Maurice Ravel: A Guide to Research. Routledge. note B206. ISBN978-1135173517. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
^Ivry, Benjamin (28 February 2009). "Sound of One Hand Playing". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
Further reading
Lewis, Cary (August 1965). The Piano Concertos of Ravel (M.Mus.). North Texas State University. OCLC 42709867. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
piano, concerto, left, hand, ravel, piano, concerto, left, hand, major, composed, maurice, ravel, between, 1929, 1930, concurrently, with, piano, concerto, major, commissioned, austrian, pianist, paul, wittgenstein, lost, right, during, world, concerto, premie. The Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D major was composed by Maurice Ravel between 1929 and 1930 concurrently with his Piano Concerto in G major It was commissioned by the Austrian pianist Paul Wittgenstein who lost his right arm during World War I The Concerto had its premiere on 5 January 1932 with Wittgenstein as soloist performing with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra Maurice Ravel with Jacques Fevrier playing the Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in Paris in 1937 Contents 1 Composition and premiere 2 Structure 3 Reception and legacy 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksComposition and premiere EditThe piece was commissioned by Paul Wittgenstein a concert pianist who had lost his right arm in the First World War 1 Paul Wittgenstein at the piano In preparing for composition Ravel studied several pieces written for one handed piano including Camille Saint Saens s Six Etudes pour la main gauche Six Etudes for the Left Hand Op 135 Leopold Godowsky s transcription for the left hand of Frederic Chopin s Etudes Opp 10 and 25 Carl Czerny s Ecole de la main gauche School of the Left Hand Op 399 24 etudes pour la main gauche Op 718 Charles Valentin Alkan s Fantaisie in A major Op 76 No 1 and Alexander Scriabin s Prelude and Nocturne for the Left Hand Op 9 2 Wittgenstein gave the premiere with Robert Heger and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra on 5 January 1932 3 Ravel had first offered the premiere to Arturo Toscanini who declined 4 The first French pianist to perform the work was Jacques Fevrier chosen by Ravel 5 Structure EditThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed February 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message Ravel is quoted in one source as saying that the piece is in only one movement 6 41 and in another as saying the piece is divided into two movements linked together 6 41 According to Marie Noelle Masson the piece has a tripartite structure slow fast slow instead of the usual fast slow fast 6 Whatever the internal structure may be the 18 19 minute piece negotiates several sections in various tempi and keys without pause Towards the end of the piece some of the music of the early slow sections is overlaid with the faster music so that two tempi occur simultaneously The concerto begins with the double basses softly arpeggiating an ambiguous harmony E A D G being the background to an unusual solo of the contrabassoon Although these notes are later given great structural weight they are also the four open strings on the double bass creating the illusion at the start that the orchestra is still tuning up As is traditional in a concerto the thematic material is presented first in the orchestra and then echoed by the piano Not so traditional is the dramatic piano cadenza which first introduces the soloist and prefigures the piano s statement of the opening material This material includes both an A and a B theme though the B theme receives little exposure An additional theme introduced at the beginning exhibits several similarities to the Dies irae chant An excerpt from the faster section sometimes referenced as the scherzo is shown in the following example source Audio playback is not supported in your browser You can download the audio file Throughout the piece Ravel creates ambiguity between triple and duple rhythms This example highlights one of the more notable instances of this The concerto is scored for a large orchestra consisting of piccolo 2 flutes 2 oboes English horn piccolo clarinet in E 2 clarinets in A bass clarinet in A 2 bassoons contrabassoon 4 horns 3 trumpets 3 trombones tuba timpani triangle snare drum cymbals bass drum wood block tam tam harp strings and the solo piano Reception and legacy EditAlthough at first Wittgenstein did not take to its jazz influenced rhythms and harmonies he grew to like the piece When Ravel first heard him play the concerto at a private concert in the French embassy in Vienna he was furious He heard lines taken from the orchestral part and added to the solo harmonies changed parts added bars cut and at the end a newly created series of great swirling arpeggios in the final cadenza The composer was beside himself with indignation and disbelief Later Wittgenstein agreed to perform the concerto as written and the two men patched up their differences but the whole episode left a bitter taste in both their mouths 7 In May 1930 Ravel had had a major disagreement with Arturo Toscanini over the correct tempo for Bolero he conducted it too fast for Ravel s liking who said he should play it at the slower speed he had in mind or not at all 8 9 In September Ravel patched up the relationship and invited Toscanini to conduct the world premiere of the Piano Concerto for the Left Hand but the conductor declined 10 Even before the premiere in 1931 Alfred Cortot made an arrangement for piano two hands and orchestra 11 however Ravel did not approve of it and forbade its publication or performance 12 Cortot ignored this and played his arrangement which caused Ravel to write to many conductors imploring them not to engage Cortot to play his concerto After Ravel s death in 1937 Cortot resumed playing his arrangement and even recorded it with Charles Munch leading the Paris Conservatoire Orchestra 13 Roger Muraro also played this piece during the 1986 International Tchaikovsky Competition earning him fourth place in the piano competition References Edit Davidson Michael 26 October 2000 Concerto for the Left Hand Disability and the Defamiliar Body Oxford University Press p 2 ISBN 9780198026341 Orenstein Arbie 1975 Ravel Man and Musician Courier Corporation p 202 ISBN 9780486266336 Ravel Piano Concerto in D major for the Left Hand San Francisco Symphony October 2015 Archived from the original on 21 April 2017 Retrieved 20 April 2017 Sachs Harvey 1987 Arturo Toscanini dal 1915 al 1946 EDT srl p 50 ISBN 9788870630565 Timbrell Charles 1999 French Pianism A Historical Perspective Hal Leonard Corporation p 148 ISBN 9781574670455 a b c Masson Marie Noelle 1998 Ravel Le Concerto Pour La Main Gauche Ou Les Enjeux D un Neo Classicisme Musurgia 5 3 4 37 52 JSTOR 40591796 Waugh Alexander The House of Wittgenstein pp 184 186 Mawer Deborah 2006 The Ballets of Maurice Ravel Creation and Interpretation Ashgate p 224 ISBN 9780754630296 Dunoyer Cecilia 1993 Marguerite Long A Life in French Music 1874 1966 Indiana University Press p 97 ISBN 0 253 31839 4 English translation and facsimile of French original in Sachs Harvey 1987 Arturo Toscanini from 1915 to 1946 Art in the Shadow of Politics Turin EDT p 50 ISBN 88 7063 056 0 Howe Blake April 2010 Paul Wittgenstein and the Performance of Disability Journal of Musicology 27 2 135 180 doi 10 1525 jm 2010 27 2 135 JSTOR 10 1525 jm 2010 27 2 135 Zank Stephen 24 May 2013 Maurice Ravel A Guide to Research Routledge note B206 ISBN 978 1135173517 Retrieved 25 February 2014 Ivry Benjamin 28 February 2009 Sound of One Hand Playing Wall Street Journal Retrieved 20 April 2017 Further reading EditLewis Cary August 1965 The Piano Concertos of Ravel M Mus North Texas State University OCLC 42709867 Retrieved 24 April 2017 External links EditPiano Concerto for the Left Hand Scores at the International Music Score Library Project Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Piano Concerto for the Left Hand Ravel amp oldid 1081755432, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
