Classical Music | Violin Music

Recorded on 03/01/2003, uploaded on 03/01/2011

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Maurice Ravel’s Berceuse sur le nom de Gabriel Fauré echoes his earlier Menuet sur le nom d’Haydn in “translating” a composer’s name into musical tones. In the latter piece, homage was paid, obviously, to one of the great masters of the Classical period and “the father of the symphony;” in the former, Ravel honored his old composition professor. It was composed in 1922, two years before Fauré’s death, and the elder composer was greatly flattered by the gesture of his former pupil.

Ravel spells Fauré’s name musically with the following tones: GABDBEE FAGDE. From the melody formed from these notes, he composed a charming and nostalgic lullaby for violin and piano. For the composition’s entirety, the violin plays sordino, and indeed the music hardly at all rises above a delicate piano. The motif on Fauré’s name is easily traceable throughout the course of the composition, appearing first in the solo violin and accompanied by simple chords moving in a steady and unhurried manner. The harmonies even are quite sedated, adhering mainly to the G major tonality of the opening. Complexity does arise, however, as the harmonies become more adventurous and the melody is interwoven amongst the other voices. Yet, the delicate and gentle tone of the piece is never lost, and by the end seems to drift off like a child into the inner world of dreams.         Joseph DuBose