Maurice Ravel-Toccata

from Le Tombeau de Couperin
Performed by Emil Gilels

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I forget where I found this forward to the movement, but I DO NOT own the material below:

It is in six movements. Each movement is dedicated to the memory of friends of the composer who had died fighting in World War I. Ravel himself served in the war as an ambulance driver and was wounded in the process.

While the word-for-word meaning of the title invites the assumption that the suite is a programmatic work, describing what is seen and felt in a visit to the tomb of Couperin, tombeau is actually a musical term popular in an earlier century and meaning a piece written as a memorial. The specific Couperin (among a family noted as musicians for about two centuries) that Ravel intended to be evoked, along with the friends, would presumably be François Couperin "the Great" (1668-1733). However, Ravel stated that his intention was never to imitate or tribute Couperin himself, but rather was to pay homage to the sensibilities of the Baroque French keyboard suite. This is reflected in the structure which imitates a Baroque dance suite. As a preparatory exercise, Ravel had transcribed a Forlane from the fourth suite of Couperin's Concerts Royaux, and this piece informs Ravel's Forlane structurally. However, Ravel's neoclassicism shines through with his pointedly twentieth-century chromatic melody and piquant harmonies.

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• Couperin
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[looney1023]

@kyleclef

Have you tried this? This piece is beast. This requires some of the most difficult and awkward jumps, crossovers, accuracy, repeated notes, melody voicings, and hand alignments. Rach 3 was written for people who can only reach an octave. This was written for people with perfect timing who can launch their hands to the exact next chord within milliseconds.

[foxychick9003]

Ravel is the bomb.



[dalecampbl9]

Ravel and Chopin have two things in common...they composed a relatively modest body of works but the overall quality of the entire set is so high that most of their works have been recorded or is in the active repertoire since day 1.

[ARunnerNamedClay]

why is this piece so short? seriously!

[PhillyB702]

@looney1023 Rach 3 is mostly hard because of the amount of stamina required, there are barely any sections where the orchestra is the only one playing, and there is only one real resting point at the end of mvt 1. Most people that have played rach 2 would say it's harder to put together. But that is besides the point that you can't compare a 4 minute piece with a 45 minute concerto. I have heard high school students play the Toccata, I can only name a few people who have played Rach 3 under 17.

[iPlayPiiano]

@looney1023 First of all: Like the toccata has any big chords? I play this piece myself, and I have very small hands; no problem.

Second of all: why are we even talking about the reach of chords in the piece. Like that is even relevant to wether or not the piece is harder than the other.

Third of all: I'm not really gonna bother discussing anymore. Regardless wether you are right or wrong. I respect your opinion, but youtube discussions are just pointless and stupid.

Have a nice day.

[looney1023]

@iPlayPiiano

And don't doubt me. He dedicated Rach 3 to someone who felt like he couldn't be challenged by Rach's other pieces due to the fact that he can only reach an octave. Conmpared to Rach's other works which require 9ths, 10ths etc every other measure, Rach 3 isn't nearly as bad. A few rolled chords could fix that no problem, despite phiysical limitations of the player, in Rach 3. It doesn't work well when you'd have to roll every single chord in a piece. (i.e. his other piano concertos

[looney1023]

@kyleclef

I'm not being ignorant. I'm not saying Rach 3 is easy at all! It's obviously in at least the top 10 most difficult piece ever written, but the amount of skill and technique in this one still tops it, even just barely.

[kyleclef]

@looney1023 i'm sorry but you are talking out your arse, have you actually even LOOKED at the score of the rach 3??????? stop being so ignorant, i can garentee than ANY pianist who plays both will tell you rach 3 is the hardest, in technical and emotional sense...

[LongDriveChamp03]

I absolutely LOVE this piece, both playing it and listening to it! Ravel was such a genius :)

[iPlayPiiano]

@looney1023 Look it up. imslp(dot)org/wiki/Piano_Conce­rto_No.3,_Op.30_(Rachmaninoff,­_Sergei)

First movement. Page 14. First measure, second time piano bars show. You are required to reach more than an octave twice in that measure. Both in left and right hand. And this is only the first movement, and only the first time

Don't doubt me.

Not saying this piece is easy, not even compared to Rach 3, but Rach 3 just cuts the edge.