Maurice Ravel’s Pièce en forme de Habanera was actually originally written as a Vocalise-étude in 1907. In its original form, it is a particularly demanding and virtuosic piece with staccato passages, portamenti, trills and sweeping scales. Yet, it brilliantly displays Ravel’s ability to compose for and demonstrate the possibilities of the human voice. It appeared in a collection of vocalises assembled by A. L. Hettich and it may have been for this specific purpose that Ravel composed the piece. Perhaps as a means of making it more accessible, Ravel transcribed the Vocalise for cello and piano. Since then, it has appeared in transcriptions for several other instruments.
The fascination of French composers for Spanish music dates back to Bizet’s Carmen and Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole, and was explored even more by Chabrier, Debussy and Ravel. Ravel’s connection to Spanish music, however, was less a fancy and more a matter of heritage. His mother was of Basque descent and grew up in Madrid. She often sang to him folk songs as a child. Interestingly, the habanera which Ravel here chose as the Spanish influence of this piece actually has its origins in France itself. The French contradanza was the basis of the development of the habanera in Cuba during the 19th century, from whence it traveled back to France via Spain. The distinctive habanera rhythm is present throughout much of the piece in the piano accompaniment, principally in the left hand, and accompanied by variants in the right hand as well as at times in the voice. Against this accompaniment from the piano, the voice weaves its seductive melody, whose character demands that the performer mask its difficulties in ease of execution.Joseph DuBose
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Pièce en Forme de Habanera Maurice Ravel
Through much of his early career Maurice Ravel was drawn to Spanish musical styles, perhaps in part because of his close friendship with the Spanish pianist Ricardo Viñes. Like many French composers of the time, Ravel tried his hand at writing the habanera, a Cuban dance form that was the rage in late 19th century Spain. All habaneras, including the famous aria from Bizet's 1874 opera Carmen, are characterized by the two-beat rhythmic pattern that we hear played by the piano in the opening measure of Ravel's Pièce en Forme de Habanera. The Pièce was originally written in 1907 as a Vocalise-étude for low voice and piano, on a commission from a professor at the Paris Conservatory, for use by his voice students. Ravel later transcribed it for cello and piano. Katherine Cherbas
Classical Music | Cello Music
Maurice Ravel
Pièce en Forme de Habanera Play
Recorded on 01/20/2010, uploaded on 06/13/2010
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
Maurice Ravel’s Pièce en forme de Habanera was actually originally written as a Vocalise-étude in 1907. In its original form, it is a particularly demanding and virtuosic piece with staccato passages, portamenti, trills and sweeping scales. Yet, it brilliantly displays Ravel’s ability to compose for and demonstrate the possibilities of the human voice. It appeared in a collection of vocalises assembled by A. L. Hettich and it may have been for this specific purpose that Ravel composed the piece. Perhaps as a means of making it more accessible, Ravel transcribed the Vocalise for cello and piano. Since then, it has appeared in transcriptions for several other instruments.
The fascination of French composers for Spanish music dates back to Bizet’s Carmen and Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole, and was explored even more by Chabrier, Debussy and Ravel. Ravel’s connection to Spanish music, however, was less a fancy and more a matter of heritage. His mother was of Basque descent and grew up in Madrid. She often sang to him folk songs as a child. Interestingly, the habanera which Ravel here chose as the Spanish influence of this piece actually has its origins in France itself. The French contradanza was the basis of the development of the habanera in Cuba during the 19th century, from whence it traveled back to France via Spain. The distinctive habanera rhythm is present throughout much of the piece in the piano accompaniment, principally in the left hand, and accompanied by variants in the right hand as well as at times in the voice. Against this accompaniment from the piano, the voice weaves its seductive melody, whose character demands that the performer mask its difficulties in ease of execution. Joseph DuBose
____________________________________________
Pièce en Forme de Habanera Maurice Ravel
Through much of his early career Maurice Ravel was drawn to Spanish musical styles, perhaps in part because of his close friendship with the Spanish pianist Ricardo Viñes. Like many French composers of the time, Ravel tried his hand at writing the habanera, a Cuban dance form that was the rage in late 19th century Spain. All habaneras, including the famous aria from Bizet's 1874 opera Carmen, are characterized by the two-beat rhythmic pattern that we hear played by the piano in the opening measure of Ravel's Pièce en Forme de Habanera. The Pièce was originally written in 1907 as a Vocalise-étude for low voice and piano, on a commission from a professor at the Paris Conservatory, for use by his voice students. Ravel later transcribed it for cello and piano. Katherine Cherbas
More music by Maurice Ravel
La Valse
Berceuse sur le nom de Gabriel Faure
Noctuelles from Miroirs
Daphnis and Chloé, Suite No. 2
Une barque sur l'océan, from Miroirs
Alborada del Gracioso, from Miroirs
Cinq Mélodies Populaires Grecques
Rhapsodie espagnole
Concerto No. 2 in D Major for Piano and Orchestra
Sonatine
Performances by same musician(s)
Sonata for Cello and Piano
Introduction and Polonaise Brillante
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