Maurice Ravel
Gaspard de la nuit

About Maurice Ravel's Gaspard de la nuit

Gaspard de la nuit, subtitled "Three Poems after Aloysius Bertrand," takes as its inspiration Bertrand´s collection of medieval tales, which the author claimed were whispered to him in the night by the devil, Gaspard.
Ravel, in his own words, set out to write something that would be “more difficult than [Balakirev’s] Islamey”.
The resulting suite forever changed the technical landscape of keyboard music. Each of the pieces is prefaced by one of Bertrand’s poems.
The first, Ondine, portrays a water nymph singing to seduce a mortal man to visit her kingdom at the bottom of a lake.
Le Gibet suggests “the bell sounding from the walls of a city far away below the horizon, and the carcass of a dead man hanging from a gibbet, reddened by the setting sun." Ravel´s bell is the B-flat octave that sounds continuously throughout the piece.
Finally, Scarbo gives an impression of the fiendish mischief committed by a ghostly night-dwarf, fading in and out of vision while changing forms, and finally disappearing without a trace.

ID:143
Preview TitleKey Year Level
1. Ondine   in C-sharp Major by Ravel piano sheet music AAB 1. Ondine 3 C-sharp Major 1908 8+
2. Le Gibet   in E-flat Minor by Ravel piano sheet music AAC 2. Le Gibet 12 E-flat Minor 1908 8+
3. Scarbo   by Ravel piano sheet music AAD 3. Scarbo N/A 1908 8+

Forum posts about the Gaspard de la nuit by Maurice Ravel

Ray Alston by rachorascho
Hello there, I would like to know, what are your thoughts on Ray Alston's Piano Practical Editions. I have came across them several time...

Jazz pieces I could use for my diploma by juncho
I'm choosing some repertoire for my LTCL exam, my list so far is: Lizst - Un Sospiro Ravel - Ondine Beethoven - Op.31 No.3 I play in a ...

Ravel Gaspard by fignewton
I recently attempted this masterpiece. I found it to be very difficult in the sense that no matter how much it is practiced, the piece alway...

Argerich Scarbo by bubblessomewhere
I believe there was an early recording of her.... she performed Chopin Piano Sonata and Ravel Gaspard de la nuit... Can I find it on YouTube...

Gaspard de la nuit - which edition by bubblessomewhere
Hello everyone:) Which editions do you prefer for Ravel Gaspard de la nuit??? What was the edition Perlenmuter commented on this piece ??...

Cliburn competition rep by rachmaninoff_forever
okay guys the application is due in October and since I'm kinda stuck at home I'm thinking to myself why not try preparing for it....

Is learning these pieces a reasonable goal (or other rep recommendations)? by aaaaaa
Hello, I've recently started listening to classical music for pleasure (even though I've been playing the piano for 10 years :-\ ...

I need some advice by rachmaninoff_forever
Alright so yo... Im doing auditions for DMA and certificates and stuff right? I recorded everything for prescreenings and Im like ight b...

Audition repertoire (last time) by rachmaninoff_forever
[size=35pt]OKAY SO...[/size] Im gonna do a DMA or artist diploma idk yet and this is gonna be my repertoire Beethoven op 90 Scriabin sona...

How to build technique? by beethovenfan01
I am always hearing about pianists who are referred to as being technical monsters but lack maturity. Well I wish [i]I[/i] could have that ...

Top-tier solo works vs. top-tier concertos. by beethovenfan01
Just want to start a general discussion about this. Which do you think are more valuable to learn and perform--the elite, top-tier solo piec...

Am I ready for Gaspard de la Nuit by charlieli13
Hey guys, I am a 14 year old pianist. I was wondering if I am ready for Gaspard de la Nuit by Ravel, particularly Ondine and Scarbo. My cu...

Gaspard De La Nuit by nyssasyratov
Just started playing the piano again after ten years and am learning Ravel's Gaspard de la Nuit now. Any tips for controlling the right...

Gaspard de la Nuit by rachmaninoff_forever
So the youtube videos are the ones I did in the winter for my prescreenings for grad school Ondine www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmYhwQBJkUE Le...

major work by isyriel
Hi, I'm looking for a new major romantic work.  I'm not planning on going into music so i figured i should go for it while i...