Ravel, Piano Concerto in G Major
We have an in-depth treatment of Maurice Ravel (1875-1837) in our Composer Showcase, in which we feature many representative works along with information about the man and his times. But even though “in-depth,” we necessarily had to pick and choose and ultimately leave out some important works.
So now I am circling back to look at Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G Major. In this late work, written in 1931, Ravel makes his deepest foray into the realm of jazz while, as always, maintaining classical forms. You can’t help but notice the influence of George Gershwin whose Rhapsody in Blue, which premiered a few years earlier in 1924, particularly in the first movement. Ravel met Gershwin (and other American composers) when he visited the United States in the late 1920s.
Unlike Rhapsody in Blue, this concerto has the standard three movements of the classical concerto. And, whereas Gershwin did not orchestrate Rhapsody in Blue, Ravel’s supreme mastery of orchestration is on display throughout.
The jazzy first movement is followed by a truly sublime slow movement and capped off in typical classical fashion by a lighter final movement filled with rhythmic syncopations and energy.
This concerto is one of Ravel’s frequently performed works. It is also notable for landing on Professor Carol’s top ten list last year when she and I did a YouTube video on “Top 10 Classical Works.” We didn’t base our lists on general popularity or even historical significance, but instead tried to list works that offered some real insight into the world of classical music for people who were in the early stages of discovery.