Ravel: Gaspard de la nuit: I. Ondine (James Chang, Senior Recital 4 of 11)

Maurice Ravel
Gaspard de la nuit
I. Ondine

SPEECH TRANSCRIPT
My next piece is Ravel's Ondine from Gaspard de la nuit. Gaspard de la nuit was based on three poems by Aloysius Bertrand. The first, Ondine, is based on the poem of the same name. And here's the poem:

"'Listen! Listen! It is I, it is Ondine brushing with these drops of water the resonant diamond panes of your window illuminated by the dull moonbeams; and here in the dress of moire, is the lady of the castle on her balcony gazing at the beautiful starry night and the beautiful slumbering lake.

'Each wave is a water sprite swimming in the current, Each current is a path winding toward my palace, And my palace is of fluid construction, at the bottom of the lake, Within the triangle formed by fire, earth, and air.

'Listen! Listen! My father is beating the croaking water with a branch of green alder, And my sisters are caressing the cool islands of grasses, water lilies and gladioli with their arms of foam, Or are laughing at the tottering, bearded willow that is angling.'

After murmuring her song, she besought me to accept her ring on my finger, to be the husband of an Ondine, and to visit her palace with her, to be king of the lakes. And when I replied that I was in love with a mortal woman, she was sulky and vexed; She wept a few tears, burst out laughing, and vanished in showers that formed white trickles down my blue windowpanes."

This piece is highly impressionistic; Ravel was a master at making the piano sound like water, like a water sprite, so let the music metaphorically "wash" over you. You'll notice toward the end, that the water sprite will indeed burst out laughing and vanishing in showers.

Are there any questions?

AUDIENCE MEMBER (Zhong Shi): What does water sound like?
JAMES: He asked "what does water sound like?" Well, uh... you'll find out! [Laughter]. Uh, but no, uh, if you, uh, if you just stand next to a stream... [stuttering, struggling for words] you hear a very soft rustling [WTF?] but a very solid rustling [WTF??] sound, it's not like leaves, [incomprehensible] floaty [incomprehensible] you'll see what I mean. Any other questions? OK! Please enjoy Ravel's Ondine.

[After the piece]
Thank you. Does that answer your question? Ok, good! Any other questions?
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James Chang's Personal Senior Recital
May 30, 2010, 7 PM, Friday Musicale Auditorium, Jacksonville, FL
Video 4 of 11

Category:

Music

Tags:

• ravel
• gaspard
• nuit
• ondine
• undine
• james
• chang
• piano
• senior
• recital
• music
• classical
• impressionist
• impressionistic
• impressionism
• solo
• live

[kongming819]

@OrangeSodaKing You're welcome! I felt it was extremely necessary and relevant in today's world, where people just don't get classical music anymore. I felt that in order for an audience to enjoy music as much as I did, I had to explain to them why and what to enjoy.

[OrangeSodaKing]

Thanks for uploading the talking to your talking to the audience! I often think that's a very important aspect for solo recitals.