Studies in the Music of Ravel and Stravinsky: Music 251A: Spring 2003
Four examples of spectacular Finales: How is the energy of sound controlled by both composers?
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1. Ravel, Mother Goose, "Jardin Feerique."
a. Monolithic buildup from simple string texture.
b. Reinforcement by doublings in the winds, P. 47, Reh. 1
c. Addition of harp chords to solo violin.celeste high-register melody at Reh. 2.
d. Further reinforcement in winds at Reh 4.+5 meas.
2. Ravel, La Valse, PP. 101-132.
a. How the accompaniment becomes the melody, PP. 100- 102.
b. Two-tiered obbligato in divided cellos Reh. 78 (P. 102-103), transferred to cl. and bass cl.
c. Reh. 80 fls., then obs. added in wind foreground: balanced accompaniment in strings.
d. Reh. 83: descending scale obbligato reinforced in fls. and obs.; foreground shifted to upper strings, doubled by Piccs. (to Reh. 85).
e. Big contrast at P. 111 (Reh. 85): foreground shifts to brass.
f. Reh. 87+2: tutti and diminution of obbligato for harp (Reh. 88+1). Macro rhythm set up here between the elements.
g. Reh. 93+3 (P.119): larger tutti. Note spacing of brass.
h. Reh. 94: pitch density increased: study activation of texture. Compare with simplication of texture at Reh. 97 and employment of hard-edge timbral contrasts at Reh. 98 (PP. 126-127).
I. PP. 130-132: the big finish. How many elements come together to make this the biggest sound of all. Check the rhythmic animation by lower strings, bns. Cbns, Bcl. at Reh. 100+2.
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3. Stravinsky, Petrouchka, 4th Tableau," Dance of the Coachmen and Grooms." PP. 126-138.
a. Layered accompaniment with cl subdivions at Reh. 108 (P. 126 ff.)
b. Powerful use of octave doublings for foreground in this section.
c. textural contrast for "Wet-Nurses Dance" at Reh. 112. Cl/Bn doubling, brass obbligato from consequent phrase.
d. Density buildup from Reh. 113, P. 132.
e, Layered tutti, PP. 134-138: control of pitch density in register.
4. Stravinsky, Rite of Spring, "Sacrificial Dance, PP. 129-144.
a. Wind/string doublings, P. 129.
b. Textural contrast, Reh 148- 149 (PP. 132-133).
c. Hard edge at Reh 155 ff. 32nds in strings overlap quintuplets in winds.
e, Layered complex from Reh. 161: what is the foreground?
f. Reh. 167 ff. reprises initial texture of section.