Maurice Ravel Author(s): M. D. Calvocoressi Source: The Musical Times, Vol. 54, No. 850 (Dec. 1, 1913), pp. 785-787 Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/907706 Accessed: 11-06-2015 13:41 UTC Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/ info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Musical Times Publications Ltd. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Musical Times. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 141.233.160.21 on Thu, 11 Jun 2015 13:41:35 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE MUSICAL TIMES.-DECEMBER I, 1913- 785 The String Quartet (1904), a spirited and : broader work,turned the scales even further. In be znusicalEimes the set 'Miroirs' was on the AND SINGING-CLASS CIRCULAR. 1905 pianoforte whole favourablyreceived; but in 1907 the DECEMBER I, 1913. wonderful,surprisingly original settings of Jules Renard's 'Histoires Naturelles' gave occasion to even more furious and to a MAURICE RAVEL. new, onslaughts, great display of indignationamong the majorityof critics. By M.-D. CALVOCORESSI. Since then,almost everynew workof M. Ravel has been eagerly commented,made the subject Of all the members of the younger French of enthusiastic praise, and of violent attacks. school none-including even M. Claude Debussy Among the chief indictments alleged by his -has irritatedand perplexed critics more, nor adversaries, none has been repeated more often, been made the subject of warmer and more nor appeared moreplausible, thanthe one branding discussion, than M. Maurice Ravel protracted him as a plagiaristof M. Claude Debussy. Many at Ciboure, near Saint de Luz, in (born Jean writershave also objected stronglyto the 'dryness' the March 7, Basses-Pyrenees, I875). and the 'artificiality'of his music. His firstwork, ' Sites Auriculaires (a rather '* To say that musicians imitate M. Debussy has far-fetchedtitle, best translated 'Landscapes for nowadays become as stereotypedan argumentas the ear '), played in February,1898, at the Socidt6 it was, not long ago, to say that musiciansimitated Nationale,attracted little notice. But the second, Wagner. The point having been examined at an overture, produced the following 'Shehdrazade,' some length in a formerarticle of the Musical year by the same Society, met with a mixed Times (December, 1911 : 'The origin of to-day's reception,and the fewcritics who noticedit proved musical idiom'), may be dismissed in a very few thoroughlyunsympathetic: the young composer words. It willsuffice to say that whoeverattempts was branded as not only a dangerous anarchist, a thorough comparison between M. Debussy's but as an incompetentbungler. music and M. Ravel's will not fail to note many M. Maurice Ravel was at that time a pupil of conclusivepoints of fact. In M. Debussy's music, theParis Conservatoire,where he studied pianoforte for instance,the whole-tonescale and the various withMI. Charles de Beriot,harmony with M. Hector and with M. chords of the ninth play an all-importantpart; Pessard, counterpoint fugue Gedalge, whereas in M. Ravel's the formeralmost never and compositionwith M. Gabriel In 1901 Faurd. appears, and the latter appear very seldom. he won the second Grand Prize forcomposition; M. Ravel also gives far greatera placeeto rhythm but after that he fell a victim to undisguised on the of the and never than M. Debussy does. As regards form and ostracism part judges, methods of he remainsfar nearer to succeeded the First Grand or working-out in winning Prize, tradition. his music is differentin ' Prix de which follows as a Lastly, very Rome,' generally tone and in the the natural wentthus thatin spirit, lacking tenderness, sequel. Things far, 1905 occasional touches of or of after the he sentimentality (the year which, reaching age-limit, romanticism that to M. its could no he was not even give Debussy's longercompete) passed characteristiccharm. at the examinations-a mere matterof preliminary This last remark leads us to consider the and established in order to form, prevent of the other the candidates from subject stricture-viz., artificiality insufficientlyexperienced entering of M. Ravel's in a is the So a rise art-which, way, beyond competition. flagrant partialitygave One that to severe commentsin the Press-even criticswho question. mightsay, indeed, artificiality is natural to M. Ravel. He is sensitiveenough, viewed M. Ravel's musicwith little sympathy taking and thoroughlysincere ; but the topics thatappeal up the cudgels in his favour,and an indirect but to his imaginationare few, and perhaps rather obvious consequence of the event being that peculiar as a rule. With a lesser insight,he might M. Theodore Dubois resigned his directorshipof and was M. have fought shy of his own instincts; but being the Conservatoire replaced by Gabriel and M. Ravel's master. remarkablypurposeful, shrewd, cool-headed, Faur--precisely he has to his as In the meanwhile he had several deliberatelyyielded nature, every composed trueartist should. When one comes to know him works,all of which were produced at the concerts well,one can butacknowledge that he has displayed of the Nationale. In 1902 his pianoforte Socidtd no slightdiscrimination in his choice of subjects. pieces 'Pavane pour une Infante defunte' and that And a significantfact is that the majorityof those 'Jeux d'eau,' played by unsurpassedchampion in or in instrumental of modern music, M. Ricardo were subjects-whether song Vinfes, pieces-have temptedno othermusician. received withgreat favour. And fromthat time it Whereas,for instance, there are scores of poems became evident that the composer, although he by Verlaine that have been set to music half a displayed a somewhat over-fastidioustaste in his dozen times, if not a dozen, the delightfullittle choice of subjects and also in his modes of piece 'Sur remains M. Ravel's unshared treatment,was not to be made lightof. l'herbe' appanage. He has been, I believe, the first of * It consisted of two pieces for two pianofortes, of which one, the contemporariesto set to music poems by 'Habanera,' was orchestrated later and found place in the ' 'Rapsodie Clement Marot Espagnole,' and the other, Entre Cloches,' has probably developed ('Deux Epigrammes,' 19oo); into 'La Vallke des Cloches' in the set 'Miroirs' forpianoforte. manyhave since followed the example, and taken This content downloaded from 141.233.160.21 on Thu, 11 Jun 2015 13:41:35 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions The Musical Times.] [December I, j193. MAURICERAVEL. This content downloaded from 141.233.160.21 on Thu, 11 Jun 2015 13:41:35 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 786 THE MUSICAL TIMES.-DECEMBER I, 1913- notice, for musical purposes, of the early French impassivity,whilst in othersthe composerdrops the poets. One can hardly imagine who but he mask altogether. Extremelycharacteristic in that among all would have dreamt of settingto music respect are the 'Oiseaux tristes,''La vallee des Jules Renard's clever but laboured ' Histoires cloches,' or in the set 'Gaspard de la Nuit,' the Naturelles'; one can absolutelyfeel thatnone but second piece, 'Le Gibet'-the last two being his he could have succeeded in disengagingthe vein nearest approaches to actual revery in instru- of genuine pathos, humour, and picturesqueness mental music; 'L'Indiffdrent,'one of the set of that lay hidden under the craftyarrangement of songs 'Sheherazade,' his nearest approach to a the words. love-song; in the 'Histoires Naturelles,' the Among his instrumentalpieces, too, many are wonderful dreamy note with which ends 'Le unique in poetic theme and in execution-as, Grillon,'to the words 'And in the still landscape in the set ' Miroirs,'the ' Alborada del Gracioso' poplar-trees,like upraised fingers,point towards (Morning-songof the Jester),or the weird,wistful, the moon'; and the deep, diffidenttenderness forcible little tone-picture,'Oiseaux tristes'; and withwhich 'Le martin-pecheur'is informed. the whole of the set, 'Gaspard de la Nuit.' Of course, some may prefer a less discreet Even when he happens to select poetic subjects eloquence, that would not shun the more current that other musicians have treated,one has little emotions,but dwell upon each lovingly;and indeed trouble in perceivingtypical differencesin the it is something unwonted to see a number of modes of treatment. An explanation of the musicians deliberately discard what has been differencesin scheme and in spirit that are one of music's chief resources. The objection has between his and Franz oftenbeen made with to M. but noticeable ' 'Jeux d'eau,' respect Debussy: Liszt's 'Les Jeux d'eau la villa d'Este,' has been no composercarries the principle so faras M. Ravel. attempted in a former article (Afusical Times, It is, certainly,the artist's unquestionable rightto June, 1913: ' The problemof Programme-music'); select his own methods of conveyingemotion; and the comparison illustrates at once that and whetherwe are preparedto followhim on his absolute lack of sentimentalityand revery,in the own groundremains a matterof temperamentand current sense of both terms, that is M. Ravel's education,absolutely outside the scope of critical chief distinctivetrait. Similarly,one can compare argument. the 'Prelude & la nuit' in the 'Rapsodie Even his adversariesconcede now that M. Ravel Espagnole,' with M. Debussy's admirable ' Les is an extraordinarilyskilful artist; it may to some parfums de la nuit,' in the orchestral suite extentbe his veryskill that,dazzling and bewilder- ' Ibria.' Thus it will be seen that although in ing certain hearers,prevents them from piercing suggestivenessM.