help with Ravel

[ryans]

I heard a Ravel piece on the radio the other day. I just heard the last few minutes. the anouncer only said it was an intro and allegro from Ravel but didn't give the name of the piece. He also mentioned a flute player although flute didnt seem prominent in the part I heard. What did, however, was the Harp. particularily a solo section with just harp playing harmonics intermingled with thick chords almost like a guitar player. If anyone knows which piece or can give any clues I'd appreciate it greatly.

[bluenoter]

The title of the piece is Introduction and Allegro. The subtitle is "for harp, flute, clarinet, and string quartet"; harp is always listed first, and the others may be listed in a different order.

Introduction et allegro (pour harpe, flûte, clarinette et quatuor [à cordes])

Although sometimes described as a septet, the Introduction et allegro gives the pre-eminent role to the harp, with the other instruments providing accompaniment. The work was commissioned by the Maison Érard, maker of harps and pianos, to promote its new pedal harp as a rival to the more established chromatic harp, and the piece is dedicated to the firm's director Albert Blondel.

Written in June 1905, in the midst of the scandal following Ravel's elimination from the Prix de Rome, it was completed at unusual speed, prior to his departure on a boating holiday with Misia and Alfred Edwards: "J'ai été horriblement occupé dans les quelques jours qui ont précédé mon départ, à cause d'une pièce de harpe commandée par la maison Érard. 8 jours de travail acharné et 3 nuits de veille m'ont permis de l'achever, tant bien que mal." (Letter to Jean Marnold, repr. in Orenstein [1989], letter 16).

The Introduction et allegro is in a single movement lasting about 10 minutes; it received its first performance in Paris on 22.ii.1907.

www.maurice-ravel.net

[bluenoter]

AMG online's blurb on the piece, which includes a list of albums that contain performances of it, is here.

[Fred K]

I like the Ravel piece as well. The recording I have and recommend is this one on Decca/London from the Melos Ensemble. The major pieces on the CD are the Frank and Debussy Violin Sonatas from Kyung-Wha Chung and Radu Lupu.

If you don't mind mono this recording featuring the famous Hollywood Qt. is well know. It also has Debussy's Danses Sacrees et Profane which is another beautiful piece featuring the harp.

[ryans]

thanks a ton guys, i really appreciate it. I can't get enough of the harp lately.