# Sensual moments in Ravel's music



## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)

Ravel is one of the few composers whose music sounds sensual (and sensual is an euphemism for sexual :devil. It's very odd that, as far as we know, he was "asexual". Just listen to this:

The "Duo miaulé" (Cat duet) from his opera "L'Enfant et les sortilèges":






(starts at 6:10)

Man, it's just me, or those cats are doing "dirty" things.... The music just sounds so sensual.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Wow that was really, trippy. The guy's face at 7:56... :lol:


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Much credit to George Balanchine, as usual.

I'm surprised it's been recorded as often as it has. Eight times since 1947.

Info...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L'enfant_et_les_sortil%C3%A8ges


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## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)

I thought Ravel was a patron of brothels? Unless I'm remembering incorrectly, which is probably the case.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

The final movement of his _Piano Trio _makes me think I'm on the beach, the sand, sun, wind, surf, seagulls, those lovely bodies (& some perhaps not so conventionally "lovely" ). But I only get it from the Joachim Trio on Naxos recording I have of it, I listened to it live in a recital here recently, and it didn't give me the beach vibe. They obviously chose to do it differently, not better or worse, just different.

Ravel's is a kind of visual sensuality I guess, kind of poetic and restrained. The other one is the haunting central _Ondine_ movement of _Gaspard de la nuit_, this kind of siren or mermaid is calling the guy to jump in the water and have sex with her, but he can't, he doesn't want to risk being pulled under the water and be drowned. The old combination of sex and death really does wonders in that piece.

Then there's _Daphnis et Chloe_, the most obvious candidate here...


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Sid James said:


> Then there's _Daphnis et Chloe_, the most obvious candidate here...


I thought the most obvious was Bolero . At least since Dudley Moore got ahold of it.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Vaneyes said:


> I'm surprised it's been recorded as often as it has. Eight times since 1947.


I'm surprised it hasn't been recorded more. Most Ravel fans consider it his masterpiece.


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## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)

Manxfeeder said:


> I'm surprised it hasn't been recorded more. Most Ravel fans consider it his masterpiece.


I think that "L'Enfant et les sortilèges" is definitely his legacy to eternity. In that opera, you can hear all his different styles and influences, from the early ravel to the late ravel of the piano concertos. the inclusion of exotic music (spanish, japanese, chinese, jazz), diverse forms (vals for example), the colorful instrumentation, the mastery and perfectionism in the musical writing. it's the most pure and sincere Ravel you can ever heard.


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## Ravellian (Aug 17, 2009)

Huh, I never thought of it that way... but I guess it's true. The opera, _Gaspard_, _Daphnis_, and other pieces all have sensual themes that are more or less explicit.

Of course, it's hard not to sound sexy when you mix together impressionism, classicism, and jazz. :devil:


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Manxfeeder said:


> I thought the most obvious was Bolero . At least since Dudley Moore got ahold of it.


Forgot _Bolero_, it was so obvious, maybe too obvious. Like the elephant in the room. Well, now we can throw that in as well. I remember there was a sexy ad here on TV, the quote given was quite raunchy, don't remember what, _Bolero _was the music to that. I mentioned the ad in grade school and my teacher & other students were shocked. I wasn't meaning to be rude, just saying I liked the music! It was innocent, totally.

But the opening to the second part (I think) to _Daphnis_, the sunrise, comes across as a caress in sound or something. I got so addicted to that work, I did overkill with it. Haven't heard it in about 2 years since! A masterpiece nonetheless...


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## hsextant (Aug 31, 2012)

Sid James said:


> Forgot _Bolero_, it was so obvious, maybe too obvious. Like the elephant in the room. Well, now we can throw that in as well. *I remember there was a sexy ad here on TV, the quote given was quite raunchy, don't remember what, Bolero was the music to that.* I mentioned the ad in grade school and my teacher & other students were shocked. I wasn't meaning to be rude, just saying I liked the music! It was innocent, totally.
> 
> But the opening to the second part (I think) to _Daphnis_, the sunrise, comes across as a caress in sound or something. I got so addicted to that work, I did overkill with it. Haven't heard it in about 2 years since! A masterpiece nonetheless...


Was that advertisement by the Houston Symphony? I watched one of those funny commercial programs on TV maybe 10 years ago. There was a commercial I think by the Houston Symphony. It was shot at a lover's lane high over a city in the evening. There was a Ford Mustang and a Mercedes. Both cars are rocking up and down rhythmically. Some popular love song was playing in the Mustang. Ravel's Bolero was playing in the Mercedes. The announcer comes on and says something to the effect:

"The typical popular love song lasts for an average three and half minutes." The love song ends, the Mustang stops rocking. The engine starts, the head lights come on and the car leaves. Meanwhile Bolero continues and the Mercedes keeps on rocking.

The announcer continues "Ravel's Bolero however lasts for fifteen minutes." The music continues and the Mercedes keeps on rocking.

The announcer continues but I am guessing at what he said, something to the effect:

"We at the Houston Symphony believe in improving the quality of life by bringing you better music...."

The commercial fades out with Bolero still playing and the Mercedes still rocking. It was a very cute commercial but rather risqué. I have been looking for it on YouTube and can not find it.

In the same program there was a cute ad for the Portland Opera that I did manage to find:






If anyone has any information on the Bolero commercial, I would appreciate hearing from you.


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## Toddlertoddy (Sep 17, 2011)

End of Ma mere l'oye for orchestra.


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## Krisena (Jul 21, 2012)

Ravel wasn't asexual, he was simply the lover of his own works.


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## hsextant (Aug 31, 2012)

BTW there was an interesting segment on Radiolab about Ravel and a possible neurological condition that creates a fascination for repetition. The 20 minute podcast can be listened to or downloaded here:

http://www.radiolab.org/blogs/radiolab-blog/2012/jun/18/unraveling-bolero/


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## Guest (Aug 31, 2012)

Nine times !!!









Anyone got wikipedia on speed dial?


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## itywltmt (May 29, 2011)

A colleague pointed me to the below hyperlink, and I listened in awe to this insightful scientific podcast about a degenerative neurological condition known as "progressive aphasia" where people lose the ability to process language.

The podcast tells the story of a Vancouver-based research biologist who underwent a significant series of life changes, displaying great artistic creativity, and her sudden obsession with Ravel's _Bolero_. The story shows the strange symmetry between her story and Mayrice Ravel's - how she and Ravel both developed the deadly degenerative disease, and that Bolero may contain many of the disease's tell-tale early signs.

I don't think I'll ever be able to listen to _Bolero _the same way ever again!

Here's the link to the NPR RadioLab podcast in question:
http://www.radiolab.org/blogs/radiolab-blog/2012/jun/18/unraveling-bolero/


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