267
Louis Schwizgebel performs
Ravel’s Piano Concerto for Left Hand,
accompanied by the New York Youth
Symphony led by Joshua Gersen, in a
2013 performance in Carnegie Hall.See also: C.P.E. Bach’s Flute Concerto in A major 120–121 ■ Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor 179 ■ Pictures at
an Exhibition 207 ■ Fauré’s Requiem 210–211MODERN 1900 –1950
movement work with a slow-fast-
slow structure lasting less than 20
minutes—usually concertos were
structurally fast-slow-fast. The
piece was commissioned by the
Austrian pianist Paul Wittgenstein,
who was shot in the elbow and lost
his right arm during World War I.
Wittgenstein’s requirement of a solo
part for left hand alone was not as
restricting as it might seem. Ravel
realized that with the use of his
left-hand thumb for melodic
material (instead of the right-hand
fifth finger), it was possible to create
a fuller, more focused, and less
Romantic sound. With clever use of
the pedal, the restrictions of using
only one hand were rarely apparent.
The art of conjuring musical
character through orchestration
required a thorough understanding
of each instrument’s qualities and
playing techniques and knowledgeof how to blend instruments in
different ranges and at different
volumes. In this, Ravel was one
of the great masters.Left-handed sounds
The concerto features a large
orchestra that uses low pitches and
darker sounds to give the work
an ominous quality—perhaps inMaurice Ravel Born to a Basque mother and a
Swiss father in the Basque region
of France in 1875, Maurice Ravel
entered the Paris Conservatoire
at the age of 14 to study piano.
He later focused on composition,
studying with Gabriel Fauré and
becoming acquainted with
Claude Debussy.
Gaining acclaim for early
works, such as the Pavane pour
une infante défunte (“Pavane for
a dead princess”), and Shéhérazade,
Ravel’s subsequent failure to win
the coveted Prix de Rome in 1905
caused a national scandal. Despite
this, he was soon internationallyrecognized as a great composer.
During World War I, Ravel was
an ambulance driver, which
limited his output. Following
a successful tour of North
America in 1928, Ravel received
a blow to his head. He was
left unable to compose, and he
died of complications following
surgery in 1937.Other key works1899 Pavane pour une
infante défunte
1912 Daphnis et Chloé
1928 Boléromemory of the war, the reason
for the commission. Ravel’s
concerto also includes rhythms
and harmonies influenced by jazz
and blues music. The piano part is
rich, spanning the entire keyboard
with athletic leaps, and so complex
that some pianists, such as Alfred
Cortot, angered Ravel by playing
with two hands. ■US_266-267_Ravel.indd 267 26/03/18 1:01 PM