Some thoughts after listening:
1. Development: There's intensive weaving of the 1st and 2nd themes, more interplay and connection from theme to theme, not as clearly spaced as before.
2. Where is the Recapitulation? If there is one, does it happen at about 4' into the piece? Kind of early right? With the harp solo, horn solo following on, I don't really think the recap is there.
All I hear are short reprises of the 3 themes.
3 Just before the french horn solo with woodwind section accompaniment, there's a very nice presentation of the Petruskha theme on the Harp, with glissandos and the melody placed on harmonics. In this Harp section, there's an inclusion on a concluding cadence(only root and fifth note?) by the strings. Perhaps Ravel thought it'll be rather interesting to place a conclusion, to surprise I suppose?
4 In the 2nd part of the Harp solo, the orchestra join in on the theme 2, with the string sections doing glissando/portamento - imitation of the previous piano glissando at the opening of the movement. In the high horn solo section, the woodwinds has runs that imitates the glissando feel.
5. I really liked the low piano passages before the trumpets return with Theme 1 to start the last section of the piece. What really caught my attention is the last scale of the piece.
The written notes (G F Eb D C Bb Ab G), not diatonic major!
A phrygian twist?
I considered some of the possibilities of ending:
i. G F Eb D C Bb Ab G - Phrygian
ii. G F# E D C Bb Ab G - harmonic minor + phrygian
iii. G F Eb D C Bb A G - natural minor (Aeolian mode?)
All three sounded interesting to me!
6. I also feel that there are elements of Debussy inside the piece. e.g. 3 bar of Number 5 on the score. The angular chords on the left hand reminds me of Golliwog's cakewalk... some specks of impressionism...
7. The percussion instrument that starts together with the Whip/Slapstick, is a snare drum! Tamburo means drum. I happen to chance upon a clearer recording, and could distinctively make out the drum roll.
Re the recap: Yes, a short piano solo flourish sweeps up chromatically towards the recap which starts tutti. All the themes are recapitulated alright albeit to differing extent. Note that after theme 3 has been recap'd on the piano then with orch, the piano initiates a motoric passage that recalls fragments from Th 1 as the music builds up towards the climactic end.
ReplyDeleteThe scale at the close is G F# E D C Bb Ab G. It is a hybrid scale: major scale then phrygian.