Ravel: Valses Nobles et Sentimentales (with score)

[fredviner]

Hey everyone, thought I'd share my performance of one of my favourite works: Ravel's Valses Nobles et Sentimentales. Would love to hear what you think!

[lelle]

Very nice playing with many fine qualities! I particularly enjoyed the softer and more elegant parts and how you handled those.

Overall I'd want to request much more attitude and rowdiness in appropriate places. As far as I know there was a scandal when these pieces premiered because of the dissonance and ugliness of some of it.

Example is the opening Waltz with its TATA-TA DUM TATA-TA DUM rhythm. I think you can embrace the really harsh dissonance here with a fuller sound and really playing up those crunchy clashes of pitch. Right now it almost sounds to my ears like you are trying to soften and beautify some of it. But it's not beautiful and I don't think it's supposed to be. I think Ravel was very intentional with it. The listener expects a Noble and sentimental waltz but instead they get a total shock. Then it softens and gets more elegant.

So I'd experiment more with embracing the harsh and ugly and transition back and forth between beauty and elegance and decadence (with a Ravelian tastefulness of course).

[j_tour]

Well, I can't comment in an informed manner on the performance, but it's intended as a tribute to your performance that I will buy a score and try my hand myself.

I don't believe I've ever heard these (Ravel is not someone I know that well).

Yes, for me the first waltz is the standout:  I suppose for me, I'd spend most of my time on that one, and just read through the more mild subsequent waltzes, just from my own preference for aggressive, percussive works.

But, I will enjoy doing so:  I can tell.

Personally, I thought you crushed the first one:  if there is a way to make it even more strident and "hard," I'm not sure I could do better than you.

Although it would be fun to try to find out how far one can "take it out!" 

So, thanks for your performance and for providing an introduction to these pieces.

[j_tour]

Well, I'll be a sonfabitch.

I just spent about fifteen minutes reading through the Ravel from my brand-new score.

If one can play the First waltz any more expressionistically than the OP, I don't see how.  I can't play with any more blood and guts that particular piece.  I also think Ravel is likely a demon of some kind:  his notation and, I presume his intent, is total precision.

I redouble my appreciation for the OP.  At least for the first waltz.