Ravel: Sonatine, "Ravel and neoclassicism" performance/analysis and commentary

9:08 1st mvt
13:35 2nd mvt
17:24 3rd mvt
Link to my own edition, with fingerings and performance suggestions:
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[@zewensenpai]

Man your channel should be much bigger. These are all top level content

[@TheIndependentPianist]

Thank you! I am hoping it will grow, so feel free to share it with whomever you like!

[@ilikeplayingffftonecluster851]

based

[@mohhingman]

incredible video. The initial discussion was what I expected, but then you went on to play the piece amazingly and provided analysis in real time. Bravo! Beyond expectations.

[@andrewchambersmusic]

I don't usually comment, but this video/channel needs an algorithm boost, because it is fantastic.

[@castankink4062]

I find your notes on Ravel disliking pianists playing his pieces to “fuzzy” or dreamy very interesting. Also to hear that you incorporate that in your own playing of the piece (esp. 2nd movement). Really amazing to listen to!! (And in my ears so different from interpretations by for instance Argerich).

[@grahamtwist]

Once again, Cole, I am left quite mesmerized by your performance in this recording: it was totally enthralling! The commentary introducing this Ravel 'Sonatine' was so informative and illuminating. What an enigma the man remains - expelled not once, but twice from the Conservatoire de Paris . . . and all for being a radical non-conformist (and thank goodness for that!). The musical politics in France during his lifetime were quite extraordinary and appallingly toxic. I know Ralph Vaughan Williams studied with Ravel for just three months in 1907-08 and he was grateful for the way Ravel helped him escape from the prevalent "heavy contrapuntal Teutonic manner" favoured in composition. He recounts Ravel's sanguine motto: "Complexe mais pas compliqué". Ravel acknowledged that important influences in his life in addition to musical were literary and he attributes to Edgar Allan Poe a key aspect of his philosophy, that "true art is a perfect balance between pure intellect and emotion" with the corollary that a piece of music should be a "perfectly balanced entity with no irrelevant material allowed to intrude" - certainly the case with the divine Sonatine you play in this upload. And Ravel could withstand the harshest criticism - with humour! I was amused to learn that at the premiere of "Bolero" when one member of the audience shouted out "Rubbish", Ravel is reputed to have said, "That old lady got the message!" and he later remarked about the same piece, "I've written only one masterpiece . . . Unfortunately there's no music in it"! But there is where I am sure we will all disagree with the man: Ravel wrote nothing but masterpieces! Such virtuoso playing from you, Cole, of this amazing music in your wonderful recording. Ravel might have resented being labelled an 'Impressionist', but the harmonic language in this composition as with all his works made a massive impression on me. Simply exquisite. And you play his music with such passion and conviction, Cole. As I said at the start of this comment, you left me totally enthralled. Thank you so much!

[@anaghshetty]

Love your in-depth analysis! I get to learn many things by the info above the sheet music

[@TheIndependentPianist]

Thank you! I'm so glad you find the analyses to be useful.

[@minsekfau3218]

What an interpretation of profound excellence!!!

[@_samuelfrancis_]

Ravel is SUCH a genius. Particularly blown away by his repeated use of the minor 9th starting at bar 6 of the minuet. It's just so piercing and impacting in the greatest way. I'm so glad composers took a shot at exploring the minor 9th and major 7th to the MAX in the early 20th century. Jazz is great for those chords too, but I find the way it's used in classical pieces gives very different emotions to when I hear it in Jazz. I'm starting my second year of uni in just a couple weeks, so preparing for it by loading up on information from your channel. I am happy to say my first recital went well, and I look forward to keeping updated with your videos over the next year! (I have lots to learn about Fanny Mendelssohn)

[@jackdolphy8965]

Absolutely love your understanding of Ravel. Talk about the need for clarity in playing his music -- same is needed in explaining it as best one can -- you do a really fabulous job, Ever Many Thanks! I would love to know which 'neo-classical' pieces of Stravinsky you are referring to. And I for one would love for you to do a video on his 4 Poems of Mallarmé (even though it is of course not a work for piano.)

[@anooshehfarzin-nia9951]

My god. This was by far the best performance I heard . Well done. I loved your video. Please keep doing them.

[@TheIndependentPianist]

Thank you!

[@fall9189]

Please keep doing what you do! These videos are of great quality and really interesting to follow, can’t believe such a good channel is this underrated!

[@aaronmueller1560]

Nicely done! Appreciate the analysis, the playing, and how you’ve recorded it.

[@KRGruner]

This is the last piece I played in concert, so, so many years ago, Ravel being perhaps my favorite composer (I am half French so maybe there is some bias there). Your performance was exceptional. Bravo! Makes me want to practice it again.

[@felixmladenov5428]

Thank you so much for your work and your utterly beautiful performance - coming in just at the right time as I'm studying this masterwork as well. If you haven't already, I can highly recommend you to check out the Henle edition of the Sonatine. It even contains Ravel's own fingerings! Cheers

[@TheIndependentPianist]

Thank you! That sounds very interesting, I'll need to take a look at the Henle.

[@josephpearson2230]

Thank you! You are so brill and insightful! The playing of the piece was just gorgeous. But the enhancements have added so much to my enjoyment if this little gem of Ravel. More!

[@nsk5282]

As always, your commentary is very interesting and educational! Even though familiar, I didn't know this piece was in a form of a sonatina. Ravel might've had his reasons for disliking being called an "impressionist", but his music definitely creates an "impressionistic" mood and feeling, evoking sounds and images of nature similar to paintings created in this style. Beautiful performance, bravo!

[@gibbsphenomenon]

oh man am i glad i discovered this. i love your interpretation. i do have a few questions/observations: 1. something you, alicia de larrocha, and ravel have in common: those arpeggiated chords in the right hand following a sixteenth rest (bars 12-13) roll cleanly from the arpeggio on the down beat from the left hand. i tend to roll the left hand faster which leaves the RH arpeggio sounding more like an upbeat to the B/E on the second eighth note. notably argerich lands somewhere between these two... both are cool, can't decide which i prefer. 2. awesome second movement, but that C# embedded in the B#/D towards the end was a little jarring. i feel like the RH should lend the smallest amount of dissonance which begs for the resolution to D flat. unless you were intentionally emphasizing that crunchiness! 3. speaking of de larrocha, you both de-emphasize the G# in the RH in the final bar of the 5/4 section and later the F when the theme returns transposed - intentional? i feel like that fifth interval is important for referencing a drowsy version of the melody from the first movement, or maybe that's just my interpretation. great stuff! subscribed!

[@zackstaboy]

bravo!

[@83lou]

I loved this performance.

[@gspianoguitar4369]

Beautifully played and analysed. Excellent. I like the tempo choices here, the middle movement has good detail at this tempo for me. One oftens hears this piece played at breakneck speed (Argerich etc) and for me (who am I to critisize her!) this misses the point of it. Thanks for the efforts.

[@TheIndependentPianist]

Thank you for your comment! I do tend to like more stable tempi myself as well. What is the point in rushing through music that is so beautiful after all? Also, my notifications showed another comment from you where I believe you asked some questions, but I couldn't find it on the video anymore, my apologies! This week was busy for me, so I am behind on replying to comments.

[@kinohaitsma9310]

Great, well done, thank you! The only wish I have is that you show more of the hands/wrists, the image is cropped very tight

[@matthewfearon]

If I’m not mistaken I see halfway through bar 2, you’re using the 2nd finger of your right hand on the A instead of the 1st finger of your left. This is something I was considering doing to avoid the tangling of hands on that bit :).

[@matthewfearon]

Ah yes just seen your explanation just before you performed it 🤣.

[@jdbrown371]

Great channel I'm glad to have found it. You have many inspiring ideas. Ravel is certainly a classicist and this piece is a sonata but named a sonatina to avoid the comparisons with Beethoven. I've played this sonatina before but used far too little pedal and barely observed rallentando. I'm eager to do Ravel again and plan to tackle the Jeux d'eau for the first time, the Minuet antique and all the smaller miscellaneous pieces like the prelude. I really love this style which Ravel has only ever used once, if like me you need more Henri Dutilleux has a very beautiful sonatina for piano and flute. Maurice Emmanuel has written six sonatinas which some might like exploring. Gieseking also wrote a sonatina for flute and piano which is really good. Ravel didn't like his playing and I'd have to agree but that didn't stop him from writing some excellent music worth remembering.

[@TheIndependentPianist]

Ah yes, I've played the Dutilleux flute sonata many a time... It is genuinely wonderful!

[@jdbrown371]

@@TheIndependentPianist Yes it is. I love it. but he wrote a sonata for solo piano which is pure magic. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fmTJd6BuntNjmtE

[@jdbrown371]

@@TheIndependentPianist It's in the same key as the Ravel sonatine and even uses similar harmonic textures in the opening. The structure is very neoclassical just like Ravel except the sonata is much larger in scope. I meant to refer to this sonata in my original comment but for some reason didn't. Dutilleux has lots of other good stuff which always is top notch.

[@jukeban646]

+1 sub, +1 like, thx u so much for this detailed video and amazing content, keep up the great work, this channel will blow soon enough !! 😃

[@TheIndependentPianist]

Thank you so much!

[@chonglamm8355]

Très bien ！bravo！

[@user-gb2jz7ov2y]

In movement 1- if the hypothetical violin 2 is playing a true tremolo- not with the rests as written, and the viola plays the voice 3 part as written, wouldn’t every fourth note between voices 2 and 3 be accented anyway? Or at least strengthened? Therefore Shouldn’t voice 3 be played with the left hand as ravel wrote it?

[@DylanOndine]

Thank you so much for your beautiful rendition of this wonderful piece. I had a question regarding slurring. In the menuet bar 7, 9, 10 the LH ideas aren’t connected physically when you play it. My teacher who studied at Juliard is adamant that unless you can’t physically connect the idea you must play it connected so the top voice in this instance would be connected. What are your thoughts on connecting ideas when there is a slur? Thank you! ❤❤❤

[@TheIndependentPianist]

The approach that calls for legato there is a very legitimate one. Personally I think it is not completely necessary in this case, and that the slurring indicates more of the pattern of stress-release (stronger on downbeat, lighter on 3rd beat).

[@DylanOndine]

@@TheIndependentPianist Thanks for your reply. Good to know your opinion on the matter, I’ll probably connect it still, but be mindful that it’s more about the stress-release in this case. Keep up the amazing work. ❤️

[@cmb_cworld]

what is the piece played as the introduction?

[@TheIndependentPianist]

I'm sorry I missed this before-It is Earl Wild's Etude no.1 after Gershwin's "Liza"

[@cmb_cworld]

@@TheIndependentPianist thank you

[@ml-truth]

Any tips on how to get that 4:3 polyrythm up to performance speed? The one in the third movement, which you play at: 18:57?

[@TheIndependentPianist]

As long as you can play each hand separately at tempo, the best method is usually to set a metronome at a comfortable speed and alternate playing the LH and RH. Plays several times each hand and then switch. When you feel ready combine LH and RH. This is generally the most effective way to feel comfortable with polyrhythms.

[@ml-truth]

@@TheIndependentPianist Thank you!