Yoyoyo I got a question for you guys

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Alright, so I plan on performing the Gaspard de la Nuit in a recital next semester or maybe the semester after that. 

NOW...

I was thinking that maybe I could get someone to recite each poem before I play them.

So someone would do the ondine, then I would play, then we move on to le gibet, then the scarbo.

NOW...

Should I have it done in French, or in English?  Cause I could just throw in translations in the program.

[flashyfingers]

Yeah, just do it in french!! (someone who is good at french!!!!!) And throw the translation in, on the programme.

[nanabush]

That's a really good idea!  I love seeing concerts where the performer gives some background to the pieces before performing; makes the whole "recital" a bit more intimate and not so rigid.  Especially for impressionist music...

Hearing Le Gibet after listening to the poem would be quite disturbing for "classical music noobs" haha

[quantum]

I've attended recitals, where poems or other period text was read in between pieces.  Very effective.  Get a theater major, or someone that has had voice coaching to read. 

[j_menz]

My vote would be for the English translations. You want the audience to know what's going on, and they won't necessarily feel comfortable reading a whole poem in translation, or sitting through the whole thing comfortably not understanding a word.

Unless they're all opera buffs as well. 

[gvans]

I disagree with j_menz. The poems are short ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaspard_de_la_nuit ).
I would have your reader read each before each movement in both French and then English. There is something about French--c'est une très belle langue. Even if your audience doesn't fully understand it, it will put them in a proper Ravelesque frame of mind. And, by all means put both translations in the program.

Yes, this breaks up the piece, but so what? It is a program piece anyhow, and such a performance would fulfill Ravel's intentions.

I went to a recital the other day, and the pianist broke up the six movements of a Bach partita with  historic and music theory monologues. She would talk for five minutes, play for five minutes, etc. A bit of Bach biography, then some music. A bit on counterpoint, then some music. It was wonderfully done, and the audience ate it up.

If you wonder why the classical musical audience keeps shrinking and aging, perhaps it is the hushed, hyper-conservative museum attitude performers adhere to that makes it that way.

Good luck with the Scarbo, dude.

[j_menz]

it will put them in a proper Ravelesque frame of mind.

Aphasic, absent minded and possibly with frontotemporal dementia?   

If you wonder why the classical musical audience keeps shrinking and aging, perhaps it is the hushed, hyper-conservative museum attitude performers adhere to that makes it that way.

It was the possibility that reciting poems in French may in fact add to that perception that lead me to suggest they be read in English. It may depend on the audience, of course, but French, whatever it's beauties, does seem to feed into that elitist/poncy atmosphere.

[theholygideons]

but French, whatever it's beauties, does seem to feed into that elitist/poncy atmosphere.

and for that reason alone, it is favourable for people to be seen at such venues, because being a pleb fucken sux.

[gvans]

 

Aphasic, absent minded and possibly with frontotemporal dementia?   

It was the possibility that reciting poems in French may in fact add to that perception that lead me to suggest they be read in English. It may depend on the audience, of course, but French, whatever it's beauties, does seem to feed into that elitist/poncy atmosphere.

OK, Ravel was a nut case. But aren't we all?

Each poem is about ten lines long. Takes about a minute to read each. But you're right--attitudes to French depend on the audience. I grew up in Minnesota, where my exposure to the language was at hockey games with Canadians from across our border. ("Manger de la merde," "Avoir un peu de bois," etc.) Things said as we rammed hockey sticks in each other's teeth. Now, if I was living in a no-border English-only country, like Australia, for example, my attitude might be different...

[flashyfingers]

Aphasic, absent minded and possibly with frontotemporal dementia?   

It was the possibility that reciting poems in French may in fact add to that perception that lead me to suggest they be read in English. It may depend on the audience, of course, but French, whatever it's beauties, does seem to feed into that elitist/poncy atmosphere.

The comment about french themed things...on the programme, are you, RACH4, only featuring this particular suite, representing chiefly impressionistic music, and only that, by Ravel? Or will there be some snazzy Verdi operatic transcriptions, and some italian to english, perhaps some Cherubini?   

[rachmaninoff_forever]

The comment about french themed things...on the programme, are you, RACH4, only featuring this particular suite, representing chiefly impressionistic music, and only that, by Ravel? Or will there be some snazzy Verdi operatic transcriptions, and some italian to english, perhaps some Cherubini?   

I'll probably be doing a Mozart ravel programme.  Maybe throw in some Bach

So I'm gonna have the guy sit on the corner of the stage or something and the whole stage turns dark but he gets a DIM spotlight and he recites the poem and when I start playing it goes back to normal.  Kinda creepy huh. 

OR we could shut off the lights completely so nobody will know where the speaker is.

Creepy right?

What do you guys think?

[j_menz]

a Mozart ravel programme.  ... Creepy right?

What do you guys think?

Not as creepy as hearing Mozart unravel. 

[starlady]

Rach4 is going to play Bach!?!?!?!?!? 

There's hope for the world after all.

[flashyfingers]

I'll probably be doing a Mozart ravel programme.  Maybe throw in some Bach

So I'm gonna have the guy sit on the corner of the stage or something and the whole stage turns dark but he gets a DIM spotlight and he recites the poem and when I start playing it goes back to normal.  Kinda creepy huh. 

OR we could shut off the lights completely so nobody will know where the speaker is.

Creepy right?

What do you guys think?

Lol, what do you mean nobody will know where the speaker is? I think they will hear where he is.

You could have him hovering on a rope (idk what those are called), above the audience, that would be creepy!!!

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Lol, what do you mean nobody will know where the speaker is? I think they will hear where he is.

You could have him hovering on a rope (idk what those are called), above the audience, that would be creepy!!!

Oooooooh I got an idea!!!

What if for le gibet the poet is hanging by his neck from the ceiling?  Now THAT would be freaking awesome. 

[rachmaninoff_forever]

[j_menz]

Oooooooh I got an idea!!!

What if for le gibet the poet is hanging by his neck from the ceiling?  Now THAT would be freaking awesome.  

Isn't the poet in question long dead?  

Oh, and you mean....

Looks good!

[flashyfingers]

Oooooooh I got an idea!!!

What if for le gibet the poet is hanging by his neck from the ceiling?  Now THAT would be freaking awesome. 

make sure you have someone with experience to do this...haha

[Bob]

Would you believe the camera man was the husband/boyfriend of the poem reader?

Looks like a bit of corporate Nike sponsorship going on in that video.

[birba]

Right on rach. ,i admire you doing this after how long?  A year?  Wow.  I've been having an affair with gaspard for 40 years now....
I like the idea of reading the poems.  What would really be cool and effective is,if you yourself recited them.  By memory.  In the dark.  Neat.

[flashyfingers]

Right on rach. ,i admire you doing this after how long?  A year?  Wow.  I've been having an affair with gaspard for 40 years now....
I like the idea of reading the poems.  What would really be cool and effective is,if you yourself recited them.  By memory.  In the dark.  Neat.

yes!

[gvans]

Looks good!

The coffin in the vid is a nice touch. The page turner with the ludicrous hat reaching in front of Lis with his right hand--not so much. Ya need to hire an amphibious page turner, or at least use a leftie.

[j_menz]

Ya need to hire an amphibious page turner

Just for Ondine. 

Ambidextrous, perhaps?

[gvans]

I prefer ambiguous, ambivalent, and ambilateral page turners. Just not right-handers.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Right on rach. ,i admire you doing this after how long?  A year?  Wow.  I've been having an affair with gaspard for 40 years now....
I like the idea of reading the poems.  What would really be cool and effective is,if you yourself recited them.  By memory.  In the dark.  Neat.

Dude I still can't believe I'm done lol.

Recite them by memory in French while playing it?!?!?! 

[flashyfingers]

The coffin in the vid is a nice touch. The page turner with the ludicrous hat reaching in front of Lis with his right hand--not so much. Ya need to hire an amphibious page turner, or at least use a leftie.

hahaha! 

[rachmaninoff_forever]

  I've been having an affair with gaspard for 40 years now....

I still need help with the right hand on 472-476...  Well it's pretty easy to fake 476, but 472-475 is pretty nasty.  Right now it's a little under tempo and I MIGHT be able to get away with it MAYBE but I don't know. 

[birba]

THAT gives you problems?!  And I suppose 581-84 doesn't, right?

[rachmaninoff_forever]

THAT gives you problems?!  And I suppose 581-84 doesn't, right?

Nope not at all!

[cbreemer]

I still need help with the right hand on 472-476...  Well it's pretty easy to fake 476, but 472-475 is pretty nasty. 

You are privileged to have that many fingers on the right hand 

[rachmaninoff_forever]

You are privileged to have that many fingers on the right hand 

You only use 3 lol

[xxhottie88xx]

I'm doing Ondine too, one more page to go then I'll be done with the piece!

I memorized the poem... Well I guess u gotta be able to speak French to do that...