Date: 1929 -1931
Composer: Maurice Ravel
Period: Modern (1910-1949)
Review
The piano was Ravel's favorite instrument, and of his two extraordinary concertos, the Piano Concerto in G major was, in his opinion, "more Ravelian." Indeed, the two works are profoundly different, but without being, as Vladimir Jankélévitch observed in his book about the composer, more (or less) Ravelian than the other. Nevertheless, Ravel's opinion should not be dismissed, for it reflects his personal predilection, and, as any listener can tell, the work literally overflows with exuberance, delight, and verve. The Concerto may have been conceived in 1928, the year Ravel received his honorary doctorate from the University of Oxford. While some commentators have found the source of this Concerto in Ravel's Rhapsody on Basque themes Zazpiak bat, a project which remained unfinished, Robert de Fragny remembered that the composer had remarked that the dazzling opening theme came to him during a train ride from Oxford to London in 1928. In 1929, despite failing health, Ravel talked about a world tour on which he would perform his Concerto. While the world tour never materialized, the composer's life was sufficiently hectic, as he received a commission to compose another piano concerto, the
Piano Concerto in D major (for the left hand) .
Completed in November 1931, the concerto was premiered in January 1932, in a legendary performance by
Marguerite Long . The sensations that this work conjures up, right from the beginning, are brightness and boundless energy. Opening with a whiplash sound, the first movement, Allegramente, proceeds rapidly, from an initial burst of light, composed of a lively piccolo tune threading through crystalline, harp-like piano figuration, to the incisive ending, traversing the many truly magical, even mysterious, moments of repose, when the piano indulges in dreamy, languid soliloquies. Delighting in the piano's expressive potential, Ravel fully employs the instrument's sonority, weaving, for example, a trill into a melody. The piano's rich and subtle discourse is magnificently matched by the orchestra, which, appearing in many guises, mimics and complements the piano, reinforcing the sensation of relentless energy by sharp, metallic, insistent statements by the trumpet. Ravel's splendid orchestration, which tempts the listener to experience this work as a brilliant, and almost self-sufficient, demonstration of sheer musical color, reflects the composer's interest in jazz, evidenced by trombone glissandi and similar effects. However, the jazz elements are profoundly Ravelian, which means that they hardly strike the listener as out of context. The remarkable second movement introduces an introspective, soulful atmosphere, seemingly quite remote from the bustle of the previous movement. A simply stated solo piano theme, of a disarming yet profoundly soulful simplicity, suggesting, perhaps, the image of a solitary promenade in the moonlight, yields to a timeless flute theme which expresses feelings of longing, sorrow, and subdued, yet clearly stated, passion. The final movement, as the piano wends its way through a series of shrieks and wails, executed by woodwind and brass instruments, affects the listener as a mounting wave of sound. A sudden, abrupt exclamation concludes the seductive cacophony of this climactic movement, and the listener experiences a desire to revisit the enchanted landscape of a musical work whose limpid formal structure contains a seemingly boundless world -- without a trace of creative fatigue or ambivalence -- of elegantly turned musical ideas. ~ Zoran Minderovic, Rovi
Albums with Complete Performances of the Work
150 Years (Box Set)
20th Century Maestros: Leonard Bernstein & Rafael Kubelik 2000
20th Century Piano Concertos 1996
20th Century Piano Concertos
Aldo Ciccolini: Enregistrements EMI 1950-1991 2011
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli 1999
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli 2004
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli plays Ravel & Rachmaninov 2011
Basina Schulman plays Mozart and Ravel 1995
Beethoven: Concerto No. 4; Franck: Symphonic Variations; Ravel: Concerto in G 2004
Bernstein conducts Stravinsky and Ravel
Boulez Conducts Ravel & Debussy 2012
Broadcast Performances from Paris, 1952-1966 [Box Set]
Chopin: Concerto No. 1; Ravel: Concerto; Debussy: L'Isle Joyeuse [DVD Video] 2007
Classic Gala
Classical Library, Vol. 2 1998
Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon 2006
Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon 2006
Concertos, Vol.2
Debussy, Ravel: Orchestral Works 2002
Debussy, Ravel: Piano Works 2004
Debussy: Images; Jeux; La Mer; Ravel: Alborada del gracioso; Daphnis et Chloé [Box Set] 2008
Debussy: Solo Piano Music; Fantaisie; Ravel: Piano Concertos 2006
Deutsche Grammophon Centenary Collection, 1948-1957 (Box Set)
Duchâble: Chopin, Liszt, Saint-Saëns, Ravel 1987
Ernest Ansermet: The Early Days (1916-1955) 2009
Evening with Ravel 2000
Francesco Tristano Schlimé, Piano 2006
French Delights
French Favorites
Gary Bertini conducts Berlioz, Ravel & Debussy
Gershwin, Ravel: Piano Concertos 1990
Gershwin, Ravel: Piano Concertos 1997
Gershwin: Concerto in F; Ravel: Concerto in G major 2005
Great Composers Collection 1995
Great Pianists of the 20th Century: The Complete Edition (Box 1) 1999
Great Pianists of the 20th Century: The Complete Edition (Box 2) (Box Set) 1999
Great Pianists of the 20th Century: The Complete Edition (Box 2) (Box Set) 1999
Haydn: Symphonie Nr. 102; Ravel: Klavierkonzert
Hélène Grimaud plays Beethoven, Brahms, Gershwin and others 2006
Hélène Grimaud plays Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Liszt, Schumann, Brahms, Ravel (Box Set)
Icon: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli 2008
Imperial Classics
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet Plays Ravel, Debussy & Massenet
Julius Katchen 2 1999
Julius Katchen: Decca Recordings 1949-1968
Julius Katchen: Decca Recordings 1949-1968
L'art de Marguerite Long 2003
Legends of the 20th Century: Yakov Zak
Leonard Bernstein - A Portrait 1991
Leonard Bernstein - The Early Years II 1993
Leonard Bernstein conducts Bernstein, Beethoven, Dvorák, Tchaikovsy, Handel, Bellini
Leonard Bernstein: A Portrait 1991
Leonard Bernstein: Composer, Conductor, pianist 2007
Leonard Bernstein: Soloist & Conductor
Les Introuvables de Alexis Weissenberg 2004
Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1/Ravel: Piano Concerto in G Major
Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1; Concerto pathétique; Ravel: Piano Concerto in G
Live: The Radio Recordings, Vol. 3
Marguerite Long 1997
Martha Argerich 1998
Martha Argerich Collection: Concertos 1997
Martha Argerich Collection: Concertos 1997
Martha Argerich plays Ravel & Chopin 2005
Martha Argerich: The Collection, Vol. 2 - The Concerto Recordings 2009
Martha Argerich: The Collection, Vol. 2 - The Concerto Recordings 2009
Martha Argerich: The Collection, Vol. 2 - The Concerto Recordings 2009
Martha Argerich: The Collection, Vol. 2 - The Concerto Recordings 2009
Maurice Ravel
Maurice Ravel
Maurice Ravel, Volume Two 1991
Maurice Ravel: Bólero; La Valse; Concertos pour Piano 1993
Maurice Ravel: Concerto En Sol Majeur/Concerto Pour La Main Gauche
Maurice Ravel: Orchestral Works 1988
Maurice Ravel: Orchestral Works 2002
Maurice Ravel: Piano Concertos 1993
Maurice Ravel: Son oeuvre et son temps, Vol. 3 (1918-34) 2002
Meet the Classics [Box Set] 1999
Meet the Classics: Ravel 1998
Michel Plasson et la Musique Française 2010
Monique Haas Plays Bartók, Debussy, Ravel 1993
Monique Haas Plays Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, Béla Bartok, Albert Roussel 2004
Music for All Seasons
Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Ravel: Piano Concerto; La Valse 2008
Panorama: Maurice Ravel 2000
Piano Concertos of the 1920s 2002
Piano Concertos of the Twenties 2002
Piano Masterpieces 1995
Piano Masterpieces 2004
Piano Masterpieces 1993
Piano: The Greatest Hits 1999
Prokofiev, Ravel: Piano Concertos 2010
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 2; Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major 2007
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2; Ravel Piano Concerto in G major
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2; Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major 1993
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2; Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major 1993
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 3; Ravel: Piano Concerto in G
Ravel 2000
Ravel Conducts Ravel
Ravel Jazz 2001
Ravel's Greatest Hits 1992
Ravel, Franck and Faure
Ravel, Schulhoff: Concertos pour Piano et Orchestre
Ravel, Schulhoff: Concertos pour Piano et Orchestre
Ravel, Stravinsky, Gershwin: Piano Concertos 2010
Ravel/Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos 2000
Ravel: Bloéro; Konzert für Klavier und Orchester G-dur; Daphnis et Chloé Suite Nr. 2
Ravel: Bolero 2010
Ravel: Bolero; Klavierkonzert G-Dur; Tzigane; Miroirs 2000
Ravel: Bolero; Piano Concerto in G major
Ravel: Bolero; Tzigane
Ravel: Boléro
Ravel: Boléro, etc... 1995
Ravel: Boléro; Pavane; Piano Concerto in G; Alborada del Gracioso 2004
Ravel: Boléro; Piano Concerto in G major
Ravel: Boléro; Piano Concerto in G; Daphnis et Chloé Suite No. 2; Gaspard de la nuit; Shéhérazade 2009
Ravel: Boléro; Tzigane 1994
Ravel: Boléro; Tzigane
Ravel: Boléro; Valse
Ravel: Boléro; Valse
Ravel: Complete Music for Piano Solo 1993
Ravel: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra; Concerto for the Left Hand; Le Tombeau de Couperin 1999
Ravel: Concerto for piano in G; Concerto for piano left hand in D
Ravel: Concerto for piano in G; Concerto for piano left hand in D
Ravel: Concerto for piano in G; Debussy: Estampes, L. 100
Ravel: Concerto for piano in G; Prokofiev: Piano Sonata No. 7
Ravel: Concerto in G; Debussy: Fantasie; Franck: Symphonic Variations
Ravel: Concertos for piano; Boléro; La valse 1993
Ravel: Concierto en sol menor; Chopin: Concierto en mi menor 2005
Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé; Concerto for Piano and Orchestra [Hybrid SACD] 2006
Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé; Concerto for Piano and Orchestra [Hybrid SACD] 2006
Ravel: Les 2 concertos pour piano; Le Tombeau de Couperin 2004
Ravel: Les Concertos pour Piano 1996
Ravel: Miroirs; Concerto for piano in G
Ravel: Orchestral Works; Piano Concertos; L'Enfant et les Sortilèges; Shéhérazade 2005
Ravel: Pavane pour une infante défunte; Valse
Ravel: Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D major, Piano Concerto in G major; Faure: Ballade, Op. 19 1989
Ravel: Piano Concerto for the Left Hand; Piano Concerto; Gershwin: Piano Concerto
Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major; Gaspard de la Nuit; Sonatine 1987
Ravel: Piano Concerto in G; Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 4; Haydn: Piano Concerto No. 11 2011
Ravel: Piano Concerto/Faure: Ballade, Op.19/Franck: Less Djinns/Symphonic Variations
Ravel: Piano Concerto; Le Tombeau de Couperin; Stravinsky: Capriccio for Piano & Orchestra 1998
Ravel: Piano Concertos 1988
Ravel: Piano Concertos 1998
Ravel: Piano Concertos 2001
Ravel: Piano Concertos 2005
Ravel: Piano Concertos; De Falla: Nights in the Gardens of Spain 1994
Ravel: Piano Concertos; Debussy: Fantasie for Piano & Orchestra 2001
Ravel: Piano Concertos; Etc. 2011
Ravel: Piano Concertos; Fauré: Fantasie; Franck: Symphonic Variations
Ravel: Piano Concertos; Pavane pour une infante défunte; Jeux d'eau; La valse 2001
Ravel: Piano Concertos; Valses nobles et sentimentales 1997
Ravel: Piano Concertos; Valses nobles et sentimentales 1997
Ravel: Piano Music
Ravel: Pianoconcerto in Sol Magg.; Vales nobles et sentimentales; Gaspard de la nuit
Ravel: The Greatest Hits/Debussy 1993
Ravel: The Piano Concertos 1999
Ravel: The Piano Concertos
Ravel: The Piano Concertos 1983
Ravel: The Piano Concertos; Miroirs 2010
Ravel: The Piano Concertos; Miroirs 2010
Ravel: The Two Piano Concertos 1997
Ravel: The Two Piano Concertos
Ravel: The Two Piano Concertos; Debussy: Fantaisie
Ravel: The Two Piano Concertos; Gaspard de la nuit; Pavane pour une infante défunte 1991
Ravel: Two Conceerto for Piano and Orchestra 1991
Ravel: Valley of the Bells; Jeau D'Eau; Piano Concerto in G 2006
Ravel: Valses Nobles et Sentimentals; Piano Concertos No. 1 and No. 2 1998
Ravel: Works for Orchestra (Complete), Vol. 1 1991
Robert Sierra: Glosas; Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major; Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 2 2004
Saint-Saëns, Ravel: Piano Concertos 2009
Schumann: Piano Concerto in Am Op54
Schumann: Piano Concerto; Kinderszenen; Ravel: Piano Concerto
Sergey Prokoviev: Piano Concerto No. 3; Ravel: Piano Concerto in G; Saspard de la Nuit 1975
Stravinsky: Petrushka; Ravel: Piano Concerto in G 1998
The 20th Century Maestros 2003
The Art of Martha Argerich
The Basic RAVEL
The Best Of Ravel 1995
The Best Of Ravel 2006
The Best of Ravel 1995
The Best of Ravel
The Best of Ravel & His Time 1992
The Composers Conduct: Ravel, Roussel, Elgar, Schmitt
The Cor De Groot Collection 1: Ravel 2000
The Great Classical Composers
The Great Composers: Maurice Ravel [DVD + 2 CDs] 2005
The Great Piano Concertos
The Hélène Grimaud Collection 2009
The Legacy: Michael Studer [Box Set] 2007
The Live Radio Recordings (Box Set) 2000
The Piano Concerto Collection 2007
The Young Martha Argerich, Vol. 2
Vlado Perlemuter Plays Ravel 1992
Wagenaar: Cyrano de Bergerac Overture; Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major; Brahms: Symphony No. 1
Weber: Euryanthe Overture; Ravel: Piano Concerto; Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 2000
World Famous Piano Music by Maurice Ravel and Frederic Chopin 1992
Zander: 20th Anniversary Edition (Box Set)
Albums with Excerpt Performances of the Work
100 Best Adagios 2008
100 Best Concertos 2008
111 More Classic Tracks 2010
A Celebration of Defining Moments in Recording History 2004
A French Romance 2000
A Total Embrace: The Conductor 2003
Adagio for Relaxation 2001
Adagio, Vol. 1 [2CD] 1992
Ballet & Opera: 50 Classical Performances 2002
Bedtime Beats: The Secret to Sleep 2006
Best Adagios 50
Best Loved Midnight Classics 1997
Centenary Edition: 100 Years of Great Music 1997
Cerntenary Edition 1948-1957, Vol. 6 1997
Chill with Ravel 2004
Classic FM: Time to Relax
Classical Chill [Metro] 2002
Classical Chillout 2005
Collaborations: College of Music at the Millennium
Culinary Classics: a little French persuasion 1999
Dreaming Adagios 2008
EMI Centenary Edition, Vol. 6
EMI Trusted Guide To Classical Music
Forest Dreams 2000
French Classics: Bizet, Berlioz, Debussy 2007
Gershwin's World 1998
Golden Classics: Classical Masterpieces
In Classical Mood: Solitude 1998
Introducing... Cala Records 1992
Le Quintette Moraguès Fait la Fête: 20 Ans de Concerts, 20 Ans de Bis 2000
Leaning Into the Night 1997
Les Élections du Piano
Let's Do French 1995
Listen (Sixth Edition) 2006
Live from the Oscar Mayer Theatre: Highlights from a Decade of DeMain 2003
Mad About Romance 1993
Meditation 1996
Meditation Classics 2008
Meditation-Classics for Dreaming 1995
Moonlight Classics 2011
Nature of Music, Vol. 2: Evening Music After Hours 2001
Nocturne - Music for Dreaming 2003
Nocturne [Extended Audio Disc] [DVD Video] 2005
Opera & Ballet Performances 2003
Orchestral Excerpts For Trumpet 1994
Orchestral Excerpts for Bassoon 1994
Orchestral Excerpts for English Horn 2001
Peaceful Adagios 2006
Piano Adagios 1998
Piano Classics (Box Set) 1997
Piano Classics, Vol. 3 1997
Piano Impressions: Musical Meditations for Peaceful Moments 2004
Quiet Time Classics (Box Set) 2004
Radiance 2: Tranquil Impressions 2004
Relaxing Piano 1995
Renoir: Romantic Dance Classics from the Age of Impressionism 2003
Romantic Classics [Chandos] 2003
Romantic Piano Adagios 2002
Schubert, Auber, Mendelssohn and others... 1997
Skating for Gold 2009
Soothing Sounds of River of Dreams 2002
Summer Classics: South of France
The Art of Martha Argerich 2011
The Best Of Ravel
The Best of Imperial Classics 2002
The Best of Ravel 1997
The Best of Ravel And His Time 2004
The Chandos Sound Experience 1990
The Classic 100 Concerto [Box Set] 2007
The Classic 100 Concerto, Vol. 1: 1-46 2007
The Great Classics: The Best of Ravel
The Great Composers, Vols. 1-4
The Piano... The Passion 1995
The Piano...The Passion 1994
The Romantic Hours 1998
The The 99 Most Essential Romantic Masterpieces
The Very Best of Ravel 2006
Time Out 2000
Time Out Classics 2000
Time Out Classics, Vol. 2 2000
Tranquil Classics: Meditation 1997
Unforgettable Classics: Piano Vol. 2 1997
Unforgettable Classics: Relaxing Piano 1998
Very Best of Classical: Composers 2003
Very Best of Classical: Lullabies 2003
Walk in the Forest and River of Dreams 2002
Winter Classics: Klassische Musik zum Kuscheln
Zen Classics 2008
Zen Piano 2010
