Ravel: Pavane pour une infante défunte

[wiwi1019]

[alessandro]

I should dig deeper into Ravel's music - Such a fascinating music, there's a captivating strangeness in his music.   I - again - enjoy your playing and your choice of piece very, very much.   Very aquarel-like, I enjoy a lot the tone that you get out of your instrument, I guess you play a lot on your piano, you know your instrument very well.  The first time I was really captivated by Ravel's music was (well, now that I think of it, the bolero), but really really captivated was a non-piano work, some symphonic (I don't remember the exact name) "Christmas Mass".   Very dark and humoristic and beautiful at once, unique stuff...
Thank you.  Kindly.   

[ponken]

This is impressive! I have always loved this piece. My dad has listened to it since I was a baby. He thinks it is the most beautiful piece ever written. I have played it too but I am nowhere near as good as you. You play it well and you capture everything in it. Flawless rendition!

[prongated]

Nicely played. The pacing of the whole piece is truly excellent. The melody is generously brought out. To improve it, I think the main aspects to consider is sound (articulation, to be specific) and style (to do with rubato).

At the first "En Mesure", you should take less time than you did. I think you understand the style of French music - you are generally disciplined in not pushing or holding back the rhythm. You hold back just a little bit too much, such that it verges on being a little too romantic.

Conversely, do not push the music forward, especially in the 6 bars before "un peu plus lent" and when you have triplets throughout the second "1er Mouvement" - those triplets are too fast for your tempo! So watch out for places where you push or hold back the music - there should be next to none in French music!

Now onto sound! In the "tres lointain", you used the same kind of sound as you did in the opening. You bring out the top note clearly and articulately. It doesn't work here because you want to sound as if it is coming from a distance - and then even more so 8 bars later when it is ppp! The sound should therefore blend more here, as opposed to being brought out (in a singing manner). A slower attack (i.e. depress the keys slower) will help get you that sound.

I think I can use more sound from the chord (not just the top) when there are portatos marked (for example, in bar 6). The sound can be more full-bodied there. Contrast, of course, with those in bar 9 where you only have the melody.