episode • 1 of the Ravel podcast, the Bolero of life

Son of engineer Pierre-Joseph Ravel and Marie Delouart, Maurice Ravel was born on March 7, 1875, in the village of Ciboure, near Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Why did this engineer’s path cross that of this young Basque woman? The story of this meeting begins with a story of railways… of railways! Ruined following the war of 1870, Pierre-Joseph Ravel left the capital to join the Basque Country. There are then many engineers like Gustave Eiffel, to reach Spain and its French border, to build new railway lines. The young lovers sealed their union in Paris in 1873. Shortly after, pregnant, the Ravel wife returned to Ciboure, near her ailing mother. It is in a Dutch-style house, surrounded by these typical Basque chalets with red tiled roofs, that Ravel lets out his first cry. This little Basque spends his first three months very close to the sea, intoxicated by the sea air and the smell of sea foam. But it is time to return to the capital where Maurice’s father is patiently waiting.

A Paris-Basque!

At 40 rue des Martyrs, in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, the young couple took up residence. Three years later, a second child was born: Édouard. Very quickly, young Maurice is immersed in a family cocoon where there is no shortage of music. Basque and Spanish songs were hummed by his mother, and left their mark on numerous works subsequently composed by Ravel. This is not without forgetting the popular songs that make everyone in Paris dance, but also a whole urban sound universe that leaves an indelible mark on Ravel’s ear and his imagination.

A lazy jack of all trades

Between Parisian and Basque musical colors, young Maurice very quickly showed a certain enthusiasm for music, but not only that! Literature, poetry, painting…, this curious young boy shows a very particular taste for music. With the support of his parents, Maurice began piano lessons at the age of seven with Henry Ghys. Although he has a certain talent, he is nevertheless lazy! A few pennies are given to him per half hour of work, in order to encourage him daily in his exercises. The piano teachers will follow one another, due to the numerous moves of the Ravel family across the capital. From the age of 12, he took his first lessons in harmony, counterpoint and composition.

Building yourself through failure

This precocious talent brought him quite quickly to the Paris Conservatory, where he joined the preparatory piano class in 1889. Nine years later, it was the composition class of Gabriel Fauré which opens to him. More than a school, this teaching was that of “elegance and taste” – said the composer Roland-Manuel. At school, Ravel already stood out for his fiery character and his audacity. Challenging the rules that he considers too academic, his thirst for creation dazzles his teachers, but obstructs any distinction. His irreverent character and his irony in the face of academicism, however, will not make the jury of the Prix de Rome smile – a competition offering comfort and legitimacy to a young composer. 5 times, the composer will try his luck. 5 times it will fail. These numerous failures, however, did not deter him from his path: becoming a composer!

Music programming

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

• Bolero
  Riccardo Chailly, conductor · Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam
  Decca label 1987
• 2. Malagueña, Spanish Rhapsody M 54
  Alexandre Bloch, conductor · Orchester National de Lille
  Alpha Label 2019
• 1. Allegramente, Concerto in G
  Martha Argerich, piano · Claudio Abbado, conductor · Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
  Deutsche Grammophon Label 2013

Aristide Bruant (1851-1925)

• Among the Apaches
  Label EPM Records

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

• Prelude for piano in A minor M 65
  Alexandre Tharaud, piano
  Erato Label 2020
• 1. Ondine, Gaspard of the night
  Grotesque serenade
  Bertrand Chamayou, piano
  Erato Label 2016
• “Here I am alone at last” (Sardanaple), Myrrha
  Michel Plasson, conductor · Orchester national du Capitole de Toulouse · Paul Groves, tenor (Sardanapale)
  EMI Classics 2000 label
• In the style of Chabrier
  Alexandre Tharaud, piano
  Label Harmonia Mundi 2003
• 1. Allegro moderato – very soft, String Quartet in F major
  Ébène Quartet: Pierre Colombet & Gabriel Le Magadure, violins · Mathieu Herzog, viola · Raphaël Merlin, cello
  Label Virgin Classics 2008

Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881)

• The Tuileries Garden, Pictures at an exhibition M A24 – arrangement for orchestra by Maurice Ravel
  Bernard Haitink, conductor · Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam
  Decca Label 2022
• Scene 1: Instrumental prelude, Boris Godunov
  Kent Nagano, conductor · Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
  Label Bis 1998
• The cabin on chicken feet, Pictures at an exhibition M A24 – arrangement for orchestra by Maurice Ravel
  Bernard Haitink, conductor · Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam
  Decca Label 2022

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

• 2. Andante, Concerto No. 21 in C major for piano and orchestra K 467
  Christian Zacharias, conductor · Lausanne Chamber Orchestra
  MDG label 2010

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

• Water sports
  Bertrand Chamayou, piano
  Erato Label 2016
• 2. Quite lively – very rhythmic, String quartet in F major
  Ébène Quartet: Pierre Colombet & Gabriel Le Magadure, violins · Mathieu Herzog, viola · Raphaël Merlin, cello
  Label Virgin Classics 2008

Sound archives

• Édouard, Ravel’s brother, about the Basque songs that their mother hummed. Emission “Ravel and the spells” (RDF/RTF), recorded on December 27, 1950 and broadcast on December 31, 1950.
• The musicologist and biographer Marcel Marnat, about the Basque and Parisian musical environment in which Ravel was immersed as a child. Emission “Music instructions” (France Culture), broadcast on January 19, 1987.
• The writer Maurice Bedel, on the “first masters” by Ravel. Emission “Musical friendships of writers” (RDF/RTF), recorded on April 16, 1948 and broadcast on April 21, 1948.
• Édouard, Ravel’s brother, recalling the few pennies given to Ravel as a child, when he was working on his piano. Emission “Ravel and the spells” (RDF/RTF), recorded on December 27, 1950 and broadcast on December 31, 1950.
• The musicologist and biographer Marcel Marnat, discussing the reasons that encouraged Ravel to participate in the Prix de Rome. Emission “Pearl Fishermen” (France Music), recorded and broadcast on October 28, 2000.
• The composer and musicologist Roland-Manuel, on Ravel’s vision of imitation, as a source of creation. Emission “The Evening Traveler” (ORTF), broadcast on January 5, 1968.
• The composer and conductor Manuel Rosenthal, on the emotion that Robert Schumann aroused in Ravel. Emission “The big interviews” (France Music), recorded and broadcast on July 6, 1993.
• The musicologist and biographer Marcel Marnat, on Ravel’s admiration for the pianistic language developed by Franz Liszt and Frédéric Chopin. Interview conducted by Geoffroy de Longuemar, president of the Maurice Ravel Foundation, recorded in 2017.
• The pianist Marguerite Long, evoking the musical link uniting Ravel and Debussy, and the laudatory compliments that Debussy paid to Ravel, about his string quartet. Emission of the RDFrecorded on December 29, 1947.
• The writer André Maurois, quoting Ravel who bluntly defended his Basque origin. Emission “Elective affinities” (RDF/RTF), recorded on March 27, 1950 and broadcast on March 23, 1950.

Movies

• Bolero, a film directed by Anne Fontaine, notably with Raphaël Personnaz, Doria Tillier and Jeanne Balibar. Released on March 6, 2024. Produced by Ciné-@, Cinéfrance Studios and F comme Film.

Bibliography

• Bernard Lechevalier, Bernard Mercier and Fausto Viader, Ravel’s brainParis, Éditions Odile Jacob, 2023.
• Marcel Marnat, Maurice RavelParis, Éditions Fayard, 1995.
• Maurice Ravel, The complete: Correspondences (1895-1937), writings and interviewsedition established, presented and annotated by Manuel Cornejo, Paris, Le Passeur Éditeur, 2018.
• Manuel Rosenthal, Ravel. Memories of Manuel Rosenthalcollected by Marcel Marnat, Éditions Hazan, 1995.
• David Sanson, Maurice RavelParis, Actes Sud / Classica-Répertoire, 2005.

Ravel, the Bolero of life

Production – Saskia de Ville
Realization – Davy Worker
Editorial collaboration, sound documentation & site writing – Aline Bieth

Sound recording – José Bernez, Thomas Guinegagne, Anthony Mailletdesantis, Adelino Melo, Victorien Otge & Stéphane Poitevin
Mixing – Delphine Baudet & Guillaume Ledu

Readings – Vladislav Galard
Guests – Bertrand Chamayoupianist · Christophe Chassolcomposer, arranger and pianist · Manuel Cornejomusicologist and president of the Friends of Maurice Ravel · Lucie Kayasmusicologist · François Le Rouxbaritone · Stéphane Lerougespecialist in film music · Bernard Merciergeriatrician · Raphael Merlincellist and conductor · Anne Million Fontainecurator at the Maurice Ravel Museum

Thanks to Haude Vassent & Mylène Touchais (INA)