Ravel, Ravel, Ravel, w/Boris Giltburg and G. Henle Verlag!

Magician, Swiss Watchmaker, Aloof, Elegant, Precise, Soulful,
Childlike, Naive, Warm: these are all words that have been used
to describe Maurice Ravel, a man of elegant contradictions. But
perhaps these contradictions are why his music remains so beloved
and universally appealing to so many musicians and audience
members. Ravel has long been one of my favorite composers, and I
always adore listening to his music and performing it. For the
150th anniversary of his birth, the legendary publishing house of
G Henle has decided to focus on Ravel and his circle this year,
calling this series Ravel and Friends. A few months ago, the
Henle office contacted me to ask if I would be willing to
collaborate with them on a series of Sticky Notes episodes about
Ravel, each one focusing on the relationship between Ravel and
another composer who was in his circle. This sounded like an
amazing idea, and so I jumped at the chance to work with them.
So, over the course of the next 5-6 months, you will be seeing 5
episodes under the Ravel and Friends theme. Today’s episode will
be a chance to do an overview on Ravel himself and to take a look
at some major works that I haven’t gotten around to covering on
the show yet. We’ll then finish the show with an interview with
the great pianist Boris Giltburg, as we discuss the solo piano
verison of Ravel’s La Valse, one of the most challenging pieces
in the entire repertoire. Later episodes will include a look at
Ravel’s relationships with Debussy, Gershwin, and De Falla, and
much more! This is such an exciting chance to take a deeper look
at one of the greatest 19th and 20th century composers, as well
as take a look at the broader musical and social trends of that
era, something I’ve always been deeply interested in. Join us!