Ravel's dorian waltz
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Ravel's Valses nobles et sentimentales (1911) is a collection of eight waltzes that mix elegance with a touch of modern edge. Inspired by Schubert’s waltzes, Ravel plays with harmonies and textures, giving them a more colourful, sometimes surprising character. Originally written for solo piano, he later orchestrated the piece, which was used for the ballet Adélaïde, ou le langage des fleurs. The music shifts between lively, sparkling moments and more intimate, dreamy passages, showing Ravel’s knack for blending tradition with innovation.
The second waltz is structured around three main sections. It begins with a chromatic introduction based on augmented chords and pedal tones, where the waltz rhythm is somewhat blurred. The second section introduces the main theme, which is modal and set over a clearly marked waltz rhythm. The third section is light and pentatonic, supported by extended diatonic chords. The introductory material reappears several times, eventually merging with the modal theme in the recapitulation, where modality and dissonance come together to create a characteristic effect of contrasts—ironically Ravelian in nature.
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Maurice Ravel (1875–1937)
Performance: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (1973)
Video made by MomentsMusicaux.