Ravel’s jazzy interlude

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This week we are presenting an analysis of the brief jazzy interlude from the first movement of Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major, a passage riddled with octatonic sonorities producing a unique blend of bluesy licks and modernist harmonic materials.
/ @-momentsmusicaux-
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
Concerto en Sol Majeur, Mvt. I
Recording: Martha Argerich, Lahav Shani, and Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

[@jaegonekim]

Nice edit

[@-MomentsMusicaux-]

Thanks!

[@Nachscrach]

Gershwin mood?

[@effigas]

😍😍😍

[@user-yp6me9by2b]

When it comes to classical music, I want it to be profound, emotional, complex and dramatic. When I'm in the mood for something light-hearted, fun and catchy, I'd rather listen to, idk. Smash Mouth or Taylor Swift. Scherzi, Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies and all those flashy, brilliant, scherzando passages in piano concerti don't do much for me, usually. Classical rarely ever makes me want to move my body to the beat or dance, but it can be enthralling and overwhelming when it's serious and beautiful. The closest thing to "light-hearted" in classical I deeply enjoy is Beethoven's 9th, the ode to joy. I think Ravel failed in his attempt to make this concerto light-hearted, especially concerning the second movement.

[@fTripleSharp]

The second movement is extremely beautiful, but I would still describe it as "light" like Ravel claims. It doesn't contain any huge climaxes like in a Rachmaninoff concerto, but is filled with gorgeous melody and texture throughout.