James, Ravel's Chansons Madécasses (MQ 1990)

Ravel's "Chansons madcasses:" Ethnic Fantasy or Ethnic Borrowing? Author(s): Richard S. James Source: The Musical Quarterly, Vol.
74, No. 3 (1990), pp. 360-384 Published by: Oxford University Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/741937 . Accessed: 21/06/2013 02:35
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp
.
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.
Oxford University Press is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Musical Quarterly.
http://www.jstor.org
This content downloaded from 171.67.34.69 on Fri, 21 Jun 2013 02:35:28 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Ravel's Chansonsmad ecasses:
EthnicFantasy or EthnicBorrowing?
RICHARD S. JAMES AURICE Ravel's Chansonsmadicasses[Madagascar Songs] listeners by surprise. Far (1925-26) takes most first-time from the harmonic lushness and timbralbrilliance of his more the terse,dissocommonlyplayed works,these three songs typify linear characteristic of much of the composer's postnant, style a markeddeparture 1920 writing. Furthermore, they speak ofAfrica, fromRavel's customary exoticism. The ethnic orientation Spanish The from ElizabethSprague is, however, easilyexplained. telegram the work found Ravel Coolidge commissioning reading througha small book of poetry entitled Chansonsmadicasses, by EvaristeDesire Desforges, Ritter von Parny (1753-1814).' Since the commission requested, "ifpossible," a chamber work for voice, piano, flute,and cello, Ravel found himselfin need of a suitable text."Delighted by a peculiar,exotic qualitywhich entirely suited
his tastes . . . his choice fell on the fifth, eighth and twelfth Chansonsmadecasses,"2 along withthe titleof the collection itself.
I wish to thankStephanie Reuer forsuggesting thisarticle'sthesisand some of the critical advice and reading of the manuscript, sources,L. JaFran Jones forher ethnomusicological Glenn Watkinsforhis numerous suggestionsand encouragement,and the BowlingGreen StateUniversity foritsassistance. ResearchCommittee Faculty I von Parny,Chansons enfranfais, Evariste-Desire madicasses traduites Desforges,Ritter 1787. 2 Roland-Manuel, MauriceRavel (Paris: Gallimard, 1948. Translated by Cynthia Jolly. in the extensive New York:Dover,1947), p. 96. Reference, Coolidge collectionat the Library between and Coolidge's commissionis limitedto letters madicasses of Congress,to Chansons of her interests fortransaction Coolidge and Henry Prunieres,on whom she relied heavily are not extant. in France.The commissionand her reasonsforthe unusual instrumentation
360
Raveland EthnicInfluences
361
I"Les trois Chansons madecasses me semblent apporter un element nouveau, le sujetmime des chansonde Parny. C'est une dramatique-voireerotique, qu'y a introduit sorte de quatuor oii la voixjoue le r6le d'instrument principal.La simplicite y domine." Maurice Raveland Roland-Manuel, "Une esquisse autobiographique de Maurice Ravel,"La Revue Musicale 19/185 (1938), p. 215. 1Roland-Manuel,MauriceRavel,p. 96. Roland-Manuel and Hoeree are probably to a drum made froma gourd though a plucked stringinstrument withgourd referring resonators suchas theIndian sarod is also possible. ' Arthur Hoer&e, "Les Concerts:chanson madecasse, par M. Ravel (Soiree de Mrs. Musicale 6/11 (1925), pp. 243-44. Coolidge)," La Revue
It is possible,however, thatthistidy of Chansons understanding madicasses obscuresa morecomplexand significant explanation.Is the styleof theworkcompletely attributable to broader trendsin Ravel's later style?Is the only connection with Madagascar via Parny's poetry, which itself bears only the most minimal resemblance to anything Is it possiblethatRavel,though Malagasy? in no waya scholarly student of traditional knewsomething musics, about the music of Madagascar and built subtle referencesto it into thesesongs,as he had done withspecific Spanish elementsin the "Alborada del gracioso" movement of Miroirs (1904-05)? The existing literature on Ravel is of littlehelp. Ravel himself all but silent on such matters.Of his two salient is, typically, commentson the work,one creditsthe influenceof Schoenberg whiletheotheraddresses thematters of style and ethnicborrowing in onlythe mostsuperficial fashion:"Chansons madecasses seems to me to embodya new,dramaticelement-even erotic, resulting fromthe subjectmatter of Parny'spoems. It is essentially a quartet in which the voice is the principal instrument. is all Simplicity A of few the more important."3 perceptive among Ravel'speers saw hintsof a morespecific exoticism. Roland-Manuel hearsa calabash in certainpizzicatosectionsof the cello part (e.g., Ex. 3).' ComArthur Hoerde hears in those same sectionshintsof poser/critic the African tambour, and adds that the piano part sounds occasionallygong-like(e.g., the low major seventhsand octaves thatundergirdmuch of "Aoua!" as well as passages of the other two songs) while the voice reflectsa melodic contour generally associated withtraditional musics (apparentlya referenceto the undulations of theline and the limitedtessitura of manyindividual thatthe Parnytextnecessitates the harsh, passages). He also thinks nonseductive and hammered discords of Ravel's score.5 language As to anyconsciousreference to the musicof Madagascar, however, H. H. Stuckenschmidt reflects the critical and scholarly consensus
362
The MusicalQuarterly
in his conclusion thatRavel merelyimagined,via "supernatural a Malagasy character.6 empathy," I intend in this article to counter the common wisdom, as articulated by Stuckenschmidt, with evidence both of specific in to the music of Chansons madecasses, references, stylistic and similarities between stylistic Malagasymusic and Madagascar I argue, are These similarities, basic elementsof Ravel'slate style. fortheyexplain whyRavel as anyovertreferences, as significant was especiallydisposed toward Malagasymusic,able to remember it,and inclinedto emulateit. In order to make mycase, it willbe First,are necessary to answer two questions in the affirmative. are from his other of madecasses that distinct thereaspects Chansons later works,aspects that mightbest be explained as Malagasy influence? Second, can itbe proventhatRavelhad heard Malagasy and motimusic or, if not, that he at least had the opportunity it? vationto become acquaintedwith As a prelude to the firstquestion, one must establish the essential featuresof the music of Madagascar. Malagasy music began a process of rapid and profound change during the contactwithEuropean of increasing as a result nineteenth century culture.These changeshave continuedsince Ravel'stime,leading to a present-day Malagasymusic thatis quite distinctfrom that of the early twentiethcentury,let alone precontact styles. Period sources agree that the Malagasy people were uncommonly receptive to and adept at European music, thereby hastening the disappearance of the traditional music of Madagascar. Hence, the real question is: What did Malagasy music sound like in Ravel's day? There are two important corollaries: (1) how traditional, as opposed to Europeanwas the MalagasymusicthatRavel mighthave heard? influenced, of thatmusicwould have seemed noteworthy and (2) whatfeatures or memorableto Ravel?7
on His Lifeand Works Ravel: Variations H.H. Stuckenschmidt, Maurice (Philadelphia: ChiltonBook Co., 1968), p. 204. 7 Madagascar is a large island whose people originallycomprised several semimusic and musical instruments. Knowingwhich of independent cultureswithdiffering since period sources not problematic these Ravel mighthave been exposed to is, however, in the much in contactwithand interested agree thatthe Frenchwere almostexclusively all of the Malagasy higher culture of the Merina/Hova high-plateaupeople. Virtually of musicians to visitFrance during Ravel's lifetime appear to have been representatives thisgroup.
6
363
Available recordingsof Malagasymusic' all date fromafter, can hardly some wellafter, Ravel'sownlifetime. Whilehelpful, they accurateidea ofwhatRavel be reliedupon to providea completely to and a fairnumberof references Fortunately, mighthave heard.9 in written accountsof Malagasymusicsurvive sourcesdatingfrom A the firstquarter of the twentieth century. few of the more all but useless by a failureto make ones are rendered superficial music and music performed distinction between by any Malagasy musicians, essentially European Malagasy e.g.,colonialbandsplaying music. There are, however,at least three independent articles in major decade of the twentieth century appearingduringthefirst consisFrenchmusicperiodicalsthatprovidea detailedand largely in musicand itsvisibility France.10 ofMalagasy traditional tentpicture to the centralethnicissuesand Each is a least reasonably sensitive in inherent scholarly problems tryingto capture this rapidly the mostrespectedof the three tradition. changing JulienTiersot, he thetotallackofsound at what considers writers, dismay expresses ethnomusicological work by scholars residing in Madagascar. in or visitTiersothimself consultedwithMalagasy musicians living and LaLao Raony ing France,particularly JosephRandriamparany. in Madagascar, The former, a member ofa well-known musical family resided in France for severalyearsand apparentlyspent a great traditional musicforTiersot." deal of timedemonstrating Malagasy
Band 6; Columbia KL-205: The Folkways and Afro-American FE-4502: African Drums, and Primitive Vol. II, Bands la-d; Folkways FE-4504:Music Columbia World Music, ofFolk Library Vol. I; Ocora 24: Musique Ocora 18: Valiha, Ocora Malgache, oftheWorld's People, Madagascar, etPoisied Madagascar. 83: Possession ' The has a numberof recordings of Malagasy Mus6e de l'Homme in Parisreportedly music fromthe 1930s. Descriptionsof these in the collectioncatalog (Collection Musie de a typeof Malagasy music more Westernized (Paris).Paris:UNESCO, 1952) suggest l'Homme than what Ravel would have heard, withemphasis on music at missionaryschools and or military waxcylinders of Malagasy musicthat The catalogalso lists functions. government universelle de 1900. If true theymightoffer appear to have been made at the Exposition corroboration of themorereadily availabletext below. descriptions presented 68 (1902), pp. 273ff. Tiersot,"La musique A Madagascar,"Le Minestrel I0J. Reprinted and expanded in Encyclopidie de la MusiqueetDictionnaire de Conservatoire (1922), s.v. "La A. Sichel,"La musiquedes Malgaches,"Revue Musicale 6 musique chez les negresd'Afrique"; de la Musique et (1906), pp. 389-91, 448-52. Reprinted and expanded in Encyclopidie Dictionnaire de Conservatoire de la musique des malgaches";Marius-Ary (1922), s.v."Histoire sur la Musique Malgache. Le Sentiment de la Musique chez les Primitifs," Leblond, "Lettre Bulletin de la Sociitt Internationale de musique 4/8 (1908), pp. 877-87. Franfais " TiersotadmitsthatLaLao's idea of traditional froman oral tradition music,deriving that had for some time existed in close contact with Europeans, may not be free of European influence.
8
364
The following of Malagasy of music,then,is a compilation synopsis observations taken primarily fromthese three writtensources Since supplementedbyaural analysisof the available recordings. the turn-of-the-century Frenchweredealingalmostexclusively with the island's dominantMerina/Hova culture,people of primarily comments willbe restrictdescent, Malay/Indochinese/Indonesian ed to thatrepertoire. A. Sichel, the author of another of our three major sources on Malagasy music, characterizesthe melodic lines of Malagasy musicas consisting of twoto three-measure units,repeated,often numerous times,withmodest embellishment(see Ex. 1).1 The vocalist(s)or melodicinstrument(s) frequently begin phraseson a note and descend to an relatively high undulating phrase ending. Instruments generallydo not double the voice(s) but establish similaryetfrequently asynchronousmotivicrepetitionpatterns. The resultis a lineartexture, withfrequent homophonicpassages, in whichthe individualpartsretainat leastlimitedindependence and oftencombine to create intricaterhythmic Pitch interplay. both and are characterized relations, horizontally vertically, by diatonic adherence to a scale patternroughlyequivalent to the Western however, Lydianmode. The mostsurprising pitchfeature, is the prevalence of thirdsand parallel thirds,a featurein part enforcedby the tuningof the valiha,the quintessential Malagasy musical instrument.While some have suggested that this is ofWestern indicative dismisses it as Tiersotconvincingly influence, coincidental the source Tiersot also resemblance.3 pinpoints major of dissonance in Malagasy music: whatWesternlistenerswould hear as occasional bitonalitybetween the vocal part and the instrumentalists.He suggests that this indicates a lack of polyphonic sophisticationon the part of the Malagasy.Sichel, thatthisbitonality seemed to please the Malagasy, however, reports and thuswaspresumably deliberate. quite The rhythmic component of Malagasymusic receives scant attention in period sources. Individual parts are rhythmically unremarkable,and the percussion adds little of the rhythmic intricacyor propulsion that Westernershear in the music of interestis found in the mainland Africa.The primacyrhythmic
dela Musique, s.v."La musiquechez les negresd'Afrique." 2Encyclopedie 3Ibid.
Ex. 1. "O ravaza." Al
".9' r ) r V)'"
O ra-va-za 1 r
365
A "lA
reny
r?
you-la
P
kou menn
A
i-
,
zaho-
3-----
I L,---r
o la - hy -
I IA
Ny
tsy ha- ten 3
dy
A re o la - hy -
vo- la Solo
ko
me- na
A
E e
r
Ra-no
i!
Choeur
A
E
E-e
- e
Ra-no
a!
Ra-no
i!
plusieurs fois Reprise

wI
ra no 6
Ja Ja m'la lao rizy rizy e 'la lao
Jai m'la m'la lao. lao. jai
Jai m'la m'la lao lao rizy rizy e Jai jai lao. jai m'la m'la lao.
asynchronousnetworkof ostinati and the uneven subdivisions of large metricunits (McLeod cites dividinga 12-pulseunit into or a 24-pulse 3-2-3-2-2 unitinto5-7-7-514).Thus,rhythmically as well as harmonically, musicwould have seemednoticeably less Malagasy exoticthan,say, thatof theFar East or mainland Africa. The most enchanting aspects of Malagasy music to most Western in the earlytwentieth listeners, were particularly century, the instruments and the instrumental parts.Tiersotsaysas much5 and goes on to single out the valiha,as does virtually everyother
" TheNewGrove s.v."Malagasy Dictionary ofMusicand Musicians, Republic[Madagascar]," byNorma McLeod. " Encyclopidie de la Musique, s.v."La musique chez les nrgresd'Afrique."
366
writeron Malagasy music, as "the instrumentpar excellence of The hollow bamboo tube that the makes Madagascar."16 bodyof up the valiha is surrounded by stringsthat are plucked withboth hands. The largesthad twenty and was capable of nearly strings threediatonicoctaves (chromaticalterationis not possible). The and tuningof the strings a tonicsol,and make thirds, arrangement the raised fourthscale step almost obligatory. The valihacan be can accompanyotherinstruments, used as a melodic instrument, texture as or can providea completemelodyand accompaniment a solo instrument. Tiersotdescribesthe sound as weak,yetsweet, of the lute. Sichel applies the and harmonious, reminiscent silvery, and thatthe valihawas and soft, clear, adjectives crystalline reports all Malagasyfreemen, played byvirtually manyof whom formerly dazzled European auditors withtheir virtuosity. name used to refer to several related string instruments.In instruments witha calabash-in essence, theyare all violin-type thiscase a halfgourd thatrests againstthe chest.The lengthof the is altered by pinching them. Sichel suggests twoto three strings that the instrument's muffled sound is particularlyapt for is plucked, accompanying. Like the valiha, the lokangavoatavo featuresa tonic sol and raised fourthdegree, and was rapidly disappearing fromMalagasy culture by the turnof the century. The list of indigenous instrumentscommon to traditional a smalland a Malagasymusicconcludes witha softwooden flute, and clapping. largedrum,rattles, TraditionalMalagasymusicseems to have been dominatedby and as slow,soft, songsand dance music,much of it characterized The vocal listeners. Western melancholyby turn-of-the-century componentmightfeaturesoloists,small ensembles,choruses,or combinationsof the three, declaiming a prose text.They were usuallyjoined by instrumentalforces: percussion instruments alone or the common Malagasy ensemble of valiha, flute,and drum. This lattertrio,withor withoutvoice, was also a standard dance musicensemble. and Turning now to a comparison of Chansonsmadecasses that of areas there are several music, potentialsimilarity Malagasy Parallelsin the melodic language are equivocal. can be dismissed.
16
Lokangavoatavo,or simply lokanga,is a somewhat more generic
"[L]'instrument excellencede Ibid. par Madagascar."
367
threemeasuresbeforerehearsalnumber122. Condensed, Ex. 2. DaphnisetChloe, ostinati only. Ob.,Am

Picc.,Fl.,
AAf
Horns
Trumpets
Violas
CelliI
kI
II
The predominantly contourof the Malagasyis not foundin falling Ravel's vocal part, though a descending ostinato pattern,in a of permutations, dominatesthe work (e.g., the fluteand variety of all the melodiclines in thiswork vocal lines in Ex. 3). Segments are undulatingand of limitedrange. This is, of course, a virtual means of suggesting clich6 of exoticism,and while an effective native chanting (as several period commentatorson Chansons madicasses note), it cannotbe said to reflect anyspecific knowledge of Malagasy music. in Malagasymusic The repetition of smallunitsthatis standard is easy to find in Chansonsmadicasses. This in itself is hardly Ostinatiare anotherclich6 of ethnicmusic reference, surprising. and a preoccupation of earlytwentieth-century composition in Ostinati and general. pedal points, including insistent pitch are also a sine A thorough reiteration, qua non ofRavel'sownstyle. examination of Ravel'suse of ostinati, revealsa first clear however, hintof Ravel's awarenessof Malagasymusic.Firstof all, the pedal and reiterated, pointsso commonin muchofRavel,both sustained are all but lackingin Chansons madicasses. of Many the ostinatiin his otherworks, even those datingfromthe 1920s, are essentially chord arpeggiations or undulations(see Ex. 2). Conflict withthe
368
The Musical Quarterly
"I est doux," mm. 30-35.? 1926 Durand S.A. Used by Ex. 3. Chansons madicasses, Sole representative of thepublisher. U.S.A.,Theodore Presser Company. permission
Tempo 10
OTTAVINO
. pizz
mm"
TempoFl
Que vos pas
Tempo lF
13 --3-.-L
soient
lents,
qu'ils i
mi
tent les at - ti- tu - des du plai-
.7'
' /L I t-"-N-w
369
AT 1i
"l tT
~'I
P"
r"i.
U'' I
I!
kI
Ii
Ii
Ii
S
TI
"L
k"An
IL
sir
et l'a- ban-don de
la vo lup -
te.
AL e M'
lo
44.. B
of the occasional conbar line or betweenthe metricimplications current ostinati is far less common. In comparison with these generalizations, ostinati play a far greater role in Chansons Mm. 30-35 of "I1estdoux" different. and look somewhat madicasses illustration serveas a representative (see Ex. 3). The entiretexture musicalideas. None ofbrief modified slightly repetitions comprises could be termedarpeggiated,especiallyby the standardsof other of the metric and the fourpartsmove independently Ravelworks, the bar line of each let alone other, (the piano part implications degree ofvariation, being an exceptionto the latter).The contour, of Malagasy and independence of these ostinatiare characteristic foundto this are visiblein Ex. 1) but rarely music (all but the latter extent in Ravel. Parallels are found in the orchestralversion of "Une barque sur l'oc6an" (1906; originalpiano version,1904-05) songs (1903) (e.g., mm. 11-37), (e.g., mm.92-103), the Shiherazade Miroirs:"La Vall6e des cloches" (e.g., mm. 1-11), and the ostinato at the opening of "Le Gibet" development of the B-flat fromGaspardde la nuit (1908). These passages, however,do not dominate their respective works as does similar material in Chansonsmadicasses.It is significantthat the pieces cited are relatively earlyworks, datingfromaround the timethatRavel first had the opportunity to hear Malagasy music. Clearly,the use of
370
ostinatiin the latterwas quite compatiblewiththe styleof Ravel's first it.Finally, it is worth maturity, perhapseven influencing noting that Shiherazade is one of the fewother examples of non-Spanish in Ravel'soeuvre. exoticism Ravel continueshis remarks on Chansons madicasses, quoted at the outsetof thisarticle, with"The independenceof thevoices [in Chansons is more obviousin the Sonata [forViolin and madicasses] Piano (1923-27)]."1 He explainsthe texture in thesonata,however, as derivingfromthe essential incompatibility of the two instruments.In Chansons madicasses therecan be no such rationale.The mark an in extreme Ravel's a more linear towards songs tendency texture in the Sonata for Violin and Cello (1920-22). equaled only called Henry Prunieres, in his review of Chansonsmadicasses, attentionto this stylistic trend: "In recent years Ravel's art has become more linear, thinnerin texture,more contrapuntal."'8 These features, common in his postwaroutput,can at least partly be attributed to his coming to termswiththe ideas of Les Six and ArnoldSchoenberg,and withthe more restrained neoclassicism so popular in France during the 1920s. What makes the textureof Chansons madicasses mostdistinctive is that,in additionto itslinear it can often be described as a melodyaccompanied by qualities, to synchronized)ostinati(see Ex. 4 or independent (as opposed mm. 45-51 of "Nahandove"as compared to Ex. 2). This is actually closer to the textureof Malagasymusic than to the texturesone ifnot evidenceof similarity expectsfromMaurice Ravel,a striking actual awareness of Malagasy musicon Ravel'spart. the diatonicismof Chansons is suffimadicasses Harmonically, in character for Ravel that one can see hardly Malagasy ciently on Ravel's influence there.And one looks in vain for any effort part to emulate the parallel thirdsof Malagasymusic. There are, the link of the songsthatreinforce twoharmonicfeatures however, scale degree and, to to Malagasy music:the use of the raisedfourth The raised fourthpermeates Chansons a lesser extent,bitonality. This is particularly and harmonically. both madicasses, melodically true of "Nahandove," wherein prominentexamples include the
17 "L'ind(pendance des parties (s'y affirme), que l'on trouveraplus marqu&edans la "Une esquisse autobiographique," sonate (pour violon et piano)" Ravel and Roland-Manuel, p. 215. 1 A. Orenstein, Ravel:Man and Musician(New York:Columbia University Press,1975), p. 92.
371
mm.55-58.? 1926 Durand S.A. Used by Ex. 4. Chansons "Nahandove," madicasses, of the Sole U.S.A.,Theodore Presser Company. representative publisher. permission
A&
A .9
u 1w TII
dFLAUTO
IIII
1LI II
AA
A I
! (e)?m,
nI
-1
4w -I clir ta douc ha
1
-
a-f
I-bt
A .9 C.LI
le 1] tJ U ~
I T-) mU,
"1.
101
IL
IA 1l r
IL
1/
/I
AI
"i],
AL f
U.1U, 1]. TI ""I
c te)
4
ux hu-mi
desh e
sa
lt
:rYo
,I "11, 1uI
tesIeuUhu mi-C,
!J
ofC and F-sharp in mm.29-33, and A againstD-sharp juxtaposition in mm. 78-84, and the melodic and harmonic of Ajuxtapositions E and are in illustrated Ex. 4 (which [mm. 55-58] sharp partially and actually span mm. 50-62). The raised fourth,of course, musicand is not appears in a greatdeal of earlytwentieth-century
372
attractedto in Ravel's other works.He was also strongly a rarity The opening vocal modal melodies,usuallyDorian and Phrygian. of the Shiherazade line of "Asie,"the first songs,and a numberof a raised fourth,and feature harmonic progressions subsequent additional instances are found in the "Habanera" of Sites and thereauriculaires (1895-97) (mm. 1-9, piano 1: the B-sharps
etpiano (1914) (mm. 64-67), after), the Triopour violon,violoncelle,
the first portion of "Une barque sur l'oc6an," and passages from L'heure (1907-09). More instancesare found in the final espagnole severalyears movementof the G-Major Piano Concerto, written is it as these In none of afterChansons however, scores, madicasses. in Chansons as it is or emphasized pervasive clearly madicasses. is commonplacein "Aoua!" and "I1est doux,"whereBitonality are the rule. Mm. 6-29 of "Aoua!" in twodifferent keysignatures fineexample. In the representative are an especially portionof this and the the vocal in found 5, righthand of part Example passage the piano suggestD-sharpminorwhile the lefthand and cello are solidly in G. In both tonalities, the raised fourthis also preis foundin theflute sent-the C-sharp partat the end ofm. 9 while melodic as a theA-natural highpointin m. 11 of gainsprominence is also foundin the cello and the left the vocal part.The A-natural hand of the piano, the D-sharpappears in the flute part,and the Chand of the piano, thusreinforcing in the right sharpis prominent the texture. and further the raisedfourths unifying in late There are other more limited instances of bitonality for Violin sonata the of movement second the most Ravel, notably movement second and Cello (e.g., mm. 97-140, 280-303) and the thatone findsin these two of the Violin Sonata. It is interesting some of the most Chansons in the as as well works, madicasses, extreme linearityand independence of parts in Ravel's output. seems to be used in these worksto in fact,frequently Bitonality, delineate the individual further bitonality parts.To a lesserextent, a bit of a of It was Ravel. in most course, also, post-1920 figures been had and in circles French in general, preoccupation postwar into drawn Bart6k,and twentieth-century parlance by Stravinsky, and around the turnof the century. Ravel himself Thus, bitonality like textureand the manner of ostinatousage, the raised fourth, common ground reinforcethe impressionthatextensivestylistic existedbetweenMalagasymusic,Ravel,and earlytwentieth-century
stylein general. Ravel's clear emphasis on such features through-
Ravel and EthnicInfluences
373
Ex. 5. Chansonsmadecasses, "Aoua!" mm. 8-11. ? 1926 Durand S.A. Used by of thepublisher. Sole representative U.S.A.,Theodore Presser permission Company.
I --
I~f
"
AIwl
Idj
'l
1I
A Du tems
A1 de nos p - res, des blancs de - scen

-
711.
A"*
a, ,..
L"
i?
L__W
,_-___,_'_____....---_1_,_,___t_-______/_
1I
-1?t dirent dans cette i le; on leur dit: Voi des
374
out his Chansons madicasses underscores the likelihoodof his awareness of theirimportance in Madagascar. The vocal line in Chansonsmadicasses, like most in Ravel, is the result of the rhythmically quite fluid, composer's preoccupation withresponding to both the expressiveand declamatory of the text.One mustlook to the instrumental imperatives parts for any sign of uncharacteristicuse of rhythmin Chansons madicasses. Even here, the novelty is not in the syncopations of the individual parts (far from uncommon in Ravel) but in the sometimesintricate betweentheirrepetition interplay patternsas well as the waysin whichthese patterns sometimesignore the bar line (again, see Ex. 4 or mm. 45-51 of "Nahandove"). The degree to which Ravel indulges in these rhythmic subtletiesis all but unprecedented in his output,and providesa striking parallel to music. Malagasy A preoccupation witheffective and striking timbres and timbral combinationsis almost a given in earlytwentieth-century music, even among composers not expressly known for it. Chansons with what biographer Leon Paul Fargue termed its madicasses, is no exception. Ravel "paradoxical and extraordinary timbre,""9 the in individual timbres of the instruments brilliantly exploits these songs, in the process further delineating both their and the linear nature of the piece. He does unusual individuality each instrument, some of which may well be with things as The high tessitura of the cello interpreted Malagasyreferences. use of pizzicato, harmonics,and part along withthe interesting to downplay mutingsuggestthatRavel mayhave been attempting characteristic cello qualitiesin favorof a less Westernsound. The pizzicato effectin particularcaused period criticsto evoke the calabash-a feature of the lokangavoatavo--andthe African tambour. At least one passage of harmonics, mm. 6-8 of "Il est doux," sounds a great deal like the soft Malagasy wooden in tradiThere is, however,no bowed stringinstrument flute.20 tional Malagasy music; only the cello's pizzicato, particularly in Example 3, suggests the pizzicatoharmonics eitherthe valihaor
Ravel (Paris: 9 "[U]ne sonoriteparadoxale et... inouie." Leon Paul Fargue,Maurice Domat, 1949), p. 36. forthe observation thata similarly exotic cello part 201am indebtedto Glenn Watkins existsin Quatre hindois (1912) by Ravel's studentMaurice Delage, a workwithwhich poemes Ravelwas certainly familiar.
375
the lokangavoatavo. The flutepart itselffeaturesa "quasi tromba" effectin "Aoua!" that, though it has no particular counterpart in Malagasy music, in the context of this portion of Chansons a war song-reminds one of the Malagasy madicasses-essentially fascination withEuropean military brassmusic. Such passages do, like the range of the cello part,cause the instrument to sound less conventional. The periodic "ottavino"interludes draw a closer parallel to Malagasymusic simply byvirtueof the greatertimbral betweenthe piccolo and the Malagasyflute.The serious similarity studentof Ravelwillfindthe piano writing in Chansons madicasses a marked departure from the composer's traditionallychordal, for the instrument. With some exceptions, the pianistic writing an additional piano provides single-noteostinato line (Ex. 4) or establishes the beat much in the manner of a percussion instrument (Ex. 3). If Ravel had set out to select Westerninstruments for their abilitiesto evoke Malagasymusiche could have made more literal choices. Such overtreference was not,however, in his nature.And, of course, the instrumentation was specifiedby the commission. On the otherhand, it is not inconceivablethat, withParny'stextin even this instrumentation have further hand, might inspiredthe of Malagasyreferences. There are passages,like that incorporation in Example 3, thatseem distinctly reminiscent of a Malagasysinger an line to the chanting undulating, falling accompanimentof the wooden and drums or valiha, flute, clapping. If one combinesthese timbral effects withthe extensive use of non-arpeggiated ostinati, the manner in which the latter are deployed, the overall linearityof the writing,the use of the and the melancholy augmented fourthdegree, the bitonality, natureof the songsas a whole,it is easyto believe,ifimpossibleto prove, that Ravel was drawing,consciouslyor unconsciously,on some personal knowledgeof traditional Malagasymusic.And the of these in features Ravel's not importance generalstylistic profile, to mention the stylistic of the early twentieth preoccupations century,readily explain the appeal of Malagasy music and the relativeease withwhich Ravel incorporated referencesto it into Chansonsmadicasses. The firstof the two questions articulated above-are thereanydistinctive aspectsof thesesongsthatare best
explained by the influence of Madagascar?-is cautious affirmative. thus answered in a
376
With the reassurance of there being musical evidence of Ravel's awareness of Malagasy music, we may now turn to the heard Malagasymusic Ravel actually historical questionof whether and motivationto do so. Let us or at least had the opportunity itself.Texts provided begin withthe textof Chansonsmadicasses potent inspiration for many of Ravel's works, both vocal and nonvocal (e.g., Gaspardde la nuit). Ravel, from his youth,was Orenstein As forParny, well versedin Frenchliterature. unusually notes that Ravel knew his poetryfromhis studentdays.A more recent biographer, James Burnett,adds thatit was Ravel's fellow RicardoVifies who introducedhim to the studentand close friend much of collection. Ravel himselfattributed madicasses Chansons what he considered new and dramatic in these songs to "the subject matterof Parny's poems.""2But what sort of traditional Malagasy flavordo theyimpart to the work?How Malagasy are thesepoems? The nearlyunanimousconclusionis, not very. Parny was born on the island of Reunion, over 400 miles east of Madagascar. He is reported to have had at least partial Creole ancestry, spent some timein France and perhaps India, made the acquaintance of Voltaire,and returnedto his birthplace.Tiersot, who makes perhaps the most detailed case against a significant madicasses, suspectsthatParny Malagasyqualityin Parny'sChansons may have known and even been inspired by Malagasy texts,but that his work is essentiallyin the exotic/romanticpoetic style In spite of this tenuous resemblance to popular in his day.22 maystillhave functioned Parny'sChansons genuine Malagasytexts, well as a reminderto Ravel, when he reread it, of past perfectly contactwithMalagasymusic.One mighteven conclude thatcomin thisinstance, makingveiled poser and poet were kindredspirits a style to Malagasymodelswithin reference European. quite clearly while feeling Both mighthave in knowntheirmodels thoroughly overt. no obligationto make theirreferences particularly of but worthy is well known, in ethnicmaterials Ravel'sinterest brief summary and analysis here. His lifelong love of things Spanish dates from his youth,while the famous International of his passionforRussian Expositionof 1889 markedthebeginning Ravelspeaksof and Orientalmusic.In his autobiographical sketch,
"Une esquisse Ravel and Roland-Manuel, "[L]e sujet mimedes chansonsde Parny." 215. p. autobiographique," ' 22Tiersot, "La musique Madagascar," pp. 289-90.
21
377
a "profoundfascinationwhich the Orient exerted on me during encourGabriel Faure, his primary teacher,certainly myyouth."23 and Ravel's of world his students' musics, explorations aged association with Les Apaches and the Diaghilev circle and the tremendous success of his entries in the folk song setting competition sponsored by the Maison du Lied in Moscow (first era prize in fourof seven categories) document the post-student extensionof these earlypreoccupations. Tzigane(1924), inspired and his violin playing,Chansonsmadecasses, by Hungarian Gypsy variousjazz dalliances show thatRavel's exoticismcontinued to evolveand bloom late into his career. Ravel's interestin ethnic musics has attractedconsiderable analysis.The composer suggestedhis own understandingof the concept in commentson his use ofjazz in a lecturegivenat Rice in 1928: University
While I adopted this [blues] popular formof your music, I ventureto say that it is French music,Ravel's music,thatI have written. nevertheless Indeed these are but the materials of construction.... Thinkof the striking and popular forms to be noted in the 'jazz" and "rags"of Milhaud, Stravinsky, essentialdifferences than the materials to meet the Theymould popular forms appropriated. stronger of theirown individual art.24 requirements
of thesecomposers and so on. The individualities are Casella, Hindemith,
Glen Watkinsquite rightly to the applies a similarinterpretation Chansons madicasses itself: externalforcesmayhave been "Whatever brought to bear, theysimmerbeneath the surface of the music: and harmony confirm thatthe underlying melody, rhythm, personin of the is never composer ality question.'"25 Stuckenschmidtoffersa perceptive analysis of the general in culturaltraditions natureof Ravel's interest otherthan his own:
Raveldid not need to make an effort ofwillto enterintothefolkinheritance, and hiswayof doing so wasworldsawayfrom anymere pedagogicalor pedanticdesire forexploration.It is preciselythroughthisartistically instinctive leaning toward folkloristic formsthatthe constantattraction of culturesgeographically remote became clear to him.Bythisis not meantthe exoticcolorsthathe borrowedfrom ... and Borodin], but his settingsof Greek and other folk [Rimsky-Korsakov
23"[L]a fascination profondeque l'Orientexeria surmoi des mon enfance."Raveland "Une esquisseautobiographique," Roland-Manuel, p. 208. 24Maurice Ravel, "Contemporary Music," RiceInstitute Pamphlet 15/2 (1928), p. 140. 25 Glenn Watkins, Musicin theTwentieth Soundings: Century (New York:Schirmer, 1988), p. 127.
378
melodies.... His workon these recreationsof folksongs was spread over the period 1904-1914. . . but it had a sublimated continuationmuch later in the
Chansons madecasses and in the Bolero[ 1928].26
G. W. Hopkinsis a bitmore analytical:

His huge appetite for the exotic and the antique was coloured by a preference thattheyshould be retailedthrough the distorting It glassof a naiveintermediary. would be fairto say that he was less anxious to depict external realitythan to select those qualities of it that made it peculiarlyaccessible to a kind of symon nature as captured its effect patheticperception: he not so much portrayed human sensibilities.27
In the case of Chansons the Parnytextmaybe seen as a madicasses, of that distortingglass. Hopkins's analysis may also help part of Ravel chose to ignorecertaincentralcharacteristics explain why third,the major mode, and the Malagasymusic: the omnipresent dominant valiha.While theymighthave nature of the guitar-like more accurately reflected the natureof traditional Malagasymusic, to mostlisteners, such features would have sounded quite Western itseffect on human sensibilities." thusfailing to "capture It is also possible that Ravel's approach to the use of ethnic models mayhave been a changingone. There is a criticalten-year hiatusbetweenDeux milodies (1914) and the composer's hibraiques of considerable personal and culturalchange. By the mid-1920's, and he was spending in fact, his style had changed quite noticeably, his He not more timefinely works. may onlyhave turned crafting violinplaying, to some new sources-African-American jazz, Gypsy and Malagasymusic-but to a new,more intimaterelationto his but it is at models. This theoryis not clearlyborne out in Tzigane, madicasses and thejazz syncopations least encouraged by Chansons
of the Piano Concerto fortheLeftHand (1929-30). next two exotic works, Tzigane and Chansons madicasses-a decade
Among his numerous and widelyspaced encounterswiththe music of other peoples, we find no explicit reference to any experience with the music of Madagascar. It seems plausible, in worldmusics,thathad it based on his lifelonginterest however, the been available to him he would have takennotice. Therefore, questionbecomes,Whatis the likelihoodthatRavelhad the opporNew G.W.Hopkins.
26Stuckenschmidt, Maurice Ravel, p. 184. 27 The Music and Grove
Dictionary of
Musicians,s.v. "Ravel, (Joseph) Maurice," by
379
to hear Malagasymusic?To answerthisquestion, it will be tunity necessary to review brieflythe historyof Madagascar and its relations withFrance. Though Madagascar is located several hundred miles offthe settlers were Indonesians southeastcoast of Mozambique, the first fivecenturiesA.D.as part of "a long who arrivedduring the first from reinforced of colonization by successivemigrations period African were followed more thanone partof Indonesia."28 They by but the Indonesians retained the dominantposition immigrants, on the island, including possession of the mostviable portion of the island: the fertilehighlands. It was with this Malay/IndomentionedHova chinese/Indonesianhigh culture,the previously and Merina peoples, thatEuropeans establishedtheirclosestties. Musical instruments figureamong the evidence in the case for Indonesian settlement of Madagascar:the valiha,in particular, has a close parallelin Indonesia.29 France wrestedcolonial During the late nineteenthcentury, poweroverMadagascarfromthe British. Throughoutthe finaltwo decades of the century, the Frenchgradually and indecisively moved from their tenuous hold on a few coastal settlementstowards domination of the entire island. Yet France was divided on the whole question of colonies and colonial policy.Imperialist adventurestended to conjureup painfulmemoriesof the ancien regime and Napoleon. By the 1890s, however,attitudeswere changing. Frenchculture,economy,and general influencewere on the rise. The quasi-evangelical notion of "bringing civilization" to "undevelwas increasingly oped countries" popular.The debate overcolonial to the extended various of colonization. Historimethods policy there had been rival theories: two favored annexation, cally, usually the the and and a somewhat colonizers, by military protectionism, more fashionable approach that imposed economic and international controlsbut leftthe nativepeople witha large degree of overlocal governance.In 1896,the new resident authority general, Joseph-Simon Gallieni, determined that neither system had succeeded in Madagascar,so he developed an alternative method: his "policyof races." In theoryat least,thispolicyrecognizedand
28 A.M.Jones,African and Indonesian (Leiden: E.J.Brill,1964), p.2. hence the 'Development of the gamelan seems to postdatethisparticular migration; lack of similarinstruments in Madagascar and the Indonesians' African settlements. Jones, and Indonesian, pp. 223-25. African
380
attempted to balance all racial groups on the island (thereby withwhich critically weakeningthe Hova/Merinapowerstructure France had been experiencing problems) and tried to respond to the needs of all groupswitha seriesof programs aimed flexibly at developingnativepotential,local self-government, and medical care. This plan, also applied withapparent success in Indochina and the Sudan, is credited with making the Gallieni decade in Madagascar relatively prosperous and successfulfor all parties. The RevueMadagascar, published duringGallieni's residence, indicatesin perhaps overly commerce glowingtermsthe growing and cultural exchange between the two countries. Quite a few natives ventured to France and returned to Madagascar with French trainingin the arts and sciences. Actual figuresfor the number of Malagasyin France are difficult to ascertain.In 1901 therewere 1,150 Africanslivingin France; by 1911 thatnumber had tripled.30 Anothersourcereports thatduringthewaryearsover laborers workedin France.31 5,000 Malagasy It is clear thatfromthe timeofRavel's earliestawareness of the world around him (the late 1880s), colonial issues were being debated widely. The Frenchadventures in Madagascar, particularly Gallieni'sexperiments in methodsof colonization, wereverymuch in the news,and at timesincitedheated politicalargument in both the press and government circles. We know that numerous Africans in Paristhroughout wereliving thisperiod,and it is highly that there were of probable plenty Malagasy among them, to byTiersot.If,as includingthe twoMalagasymusiciansreferred Orenstein suggests, Ravel "followed contemporary political and artistic trendsas a keenlyinterested observer,'"32 developments it is likely that he was quite well aware of Madagascar, thus increasingthe likelihood thathe would have taken advantage of to hear the musicof thatcountry.33 opportunities
i iconomique en France:Leur rnle dans l'activit 3o Georges Mauco, Les Etrangers (Paris: LibrairieArmand Colin, 1932), p. 38. Whetheror not those fromMadagascar are listed among Africansis not clear, although it would seem the only categoryin thissource in whichthey wouldfit. M. Huber,Le population de la France la guerre (Paris: Les PressesUniversitaires, pendant 31 1931), pp. 202-04. on the otherhand, assertsthat"Ravelwas not a politicalbeing and Stuckenschmidt, 33 Maurice to the eventsof the day" (Stuckenschmidt, Ravel,p. 240). I am paid littleattention to a socialist unable to disproveStuckenschmidt's contention,thoughRavel's subscription
32 Orenstein,
Ravel, p. 3.
381
This was also, of course, the era that,beginningwithMatisse's Africanart objects in a Paris curio discoveryof some intriguing became around 1906, parpreoccupied withthingsAfrican, shop in lack of a strong the in France.While Malagasytradition ticularly the plastic arts excluded Madagascar fromthis fascinationwith Africanart,other sortsof artifacts-Malagasy tools,weapons, and Most a partof the culturalinflux. even musicalinstruments-were the all of as as well learned and museums, ethnic,scientific, society
Expositions universelles from 1878 onwards, exhibited African
The pages of the Revue materials. suggestthat,by 1900, Madagascar fromMadagascar,often included artifacts these exhibitsgenerally somewhat improperly linked with the nearby mainland. thatthe Tiersotreports ConcerningMalagasymusicalinstruments, and a museumdisplayeda valiha,a lokangavoatavo, Conservatoire's Curt Sachs the time of the the turn flute century. By by Malagasy A the Musee de l'Homme owned about 200 Malagasyinstruments. 1952 catalog of thatmuseum's collectionreportsseveralhundred wax cylinders,78-rpm disks, and field recordings of Malagasy music, some of which may date to the beginning of the century. in Malagasy and other interest The Frenchmusicalcommunity's A survey of leading worldmusicsextendedwellbeyondorganology. articles a of wealth music French periodicalsyields contemporary music on the three on worldmusics, Tiersot, Malagasy by including Sichel, and Leblond. The earliest documented performanceof Malagasymusic in France was an appearance at, of all places, the an eventthat accompaniedbya valiha, Folies-Bergere bytwosingers Tiersot,in 1902, noted as havingtakenplace severalyearsearlier. is the eventthatprobably Far moreimportant, however, inspired of Sichel and Leblond as well: those and Tiersot'sarticle, perhaps 1889 exposition thatis so well known to studentsof turn-of-thecenturyFrench music, the event in 1900 was even larger and featured veryimpressive Japanese musicand dance performances. to took full advantage of this opportunity Madagascar evidently floorof the pavilionwas domiintroduceitself to Europe. The first nated bya huge scale model of the island,completewithsurroundnewspaper, Le Populairede Paris (Orenstein, Ravel, p. 113), may reinforceOrenstein's might opinion. His activesocializingamong people highlysensitizedto politics,however, of such events. thathe could not have been too ignorant suggest
de la musique de Madagascar in 1938, compiled his Les instruments
universelle de 1900 in Paris. The direct successor to the the Exposition
382
ing waterand examplesof the local floraand fauna.Nativevillages and colonial outpostswere reconstructed, and exhibitsfeatured historical and geographical documents, samplesof local agriculture and industry, and naturalhistory and paleontologydisplays.The historical dioramaswerea particularly big hitwiththecrowds. Of the 102 natives sent as part of the Malagasy delegation, wereformer musicians of the queen ofMadagascar.They thirty-five werenot there,however, to solely demonstrate Malagasytraditional music.JudithGautier,in her book on "musiquesbizarres"at the notes that the firstthing heard by visitorsto the exposition,34 band thatplayed so well as to be Malagasypavilionwas a military from its French indistinguishable counterparts. Only afterseveral selections by this band did one hear traditional music. These concerts occurred at least daily throughout the summer.The mixtureof traditionaland Westernelementsmakes interpreting certain reviews of the exposition quite impossible, but other From a few reviewsclearlypraise the traditionalmusic offerings. and detailed descriptions, we learn thatthe valiha,lokangavoatavo, In his 1902 article, flute Tiersotremarks joined groupsofvocalists. to hear Malagasytraditional musicat the on the greatopportunity 1900 exposition and laments the fact that the chaos of the exposition made serious analysis and recording impossible. at least twoof the finerMalagasy as noted previously, Fortunately, musiciansat the expositionremained in France forseveralyears, At leastone of theirplaying at length. and Tiersotwas able to study at the Paris where he studied Conservatoire, them,RaonyLaLao, awardedsecond prizein flute. was eventually We know, then,thatRavelhad dailychancesduringthe summer of 1900 to hear Malagasymusic and thata verytalentedMalagasy musician attended the Conservatoirefrom1900 to about 1903, preciselythe period during which Ravel, having been officially was nevertheless auditingFaure's dropped fromthe Conservatoire, had a lifelong The 1889 class there. sparked exposition composition fascinationwithOriental music-would he have missed an even bigger exposition eleven years later? In addition to his general in exotic musics,he was composinghis Shihdrazade interest works, Nights, meetingwithLes Apaches (who were reading 1001 Arabian thecolonial to suchmusic),and perhapsfollowing attracted strongly
de bizarres Gautier,"Les chants de Madagascar,"in Les musiques "4Judith d l'Exposition 1900 (Paris:LibraireOllendorff, 1901), pp. 3-30.
383
of Could his knowledge in Madagascarwithsome interest. situation dating according to Vifiesfromhis Parny's Chansonsmadicasses, studentdays,have inspiredhim to seek out Malagasymusic at the 1900 exposition,or could his contactwiththe latterhave caused Given the enlightenedatmosphereof him to pick up the former? in worldmusics,it is likely Faure's studioand Faure's own interest thatthe elder composer,who was in the habit of introducinghis studentsto the various intellectual circles of Paris, might have taken Ravel to the exposition or even introduced him to Raony thatthepassagesin itmaybe morethancoincidental LaLao. Finally, thatseem to reflect Ravel'smusic (otherthan Chansons madicasses) of using ostinati, manner influence most closely-the Malagasy melodic contour,and a raised fourth-are found in the opening "Asie."Ravelwas at work songs,particularly pages of his Shihdrazade on these songs during the firstfew years of the century and of theExposition de completedthemin 1903 in the directaftermath 1900. Thus, these pages may represent a brief,early universelle in incorporating the sounds of Malagasymusic,experiexperiment mentsconductedwhilethisinitialcontactwithMalagasymusicwas madicasses. to be expanded upon yearslaterin Chansons fresh, Even if one accepts the likelihood thatRavel heard Malagasy musicbetween1900 and 1903, thereis still,of course,the obvious yearswould elapse beforehe sat down anomalythatanothertwenty It is possiblehe heard Malagasymusic to writeChansons madicasses. fromMalagasylaborersin France duringthe war,and therewere probablysome Malagasymusicianslivingin Paris throughouthis life.But perhapsthistimeinterval is not a critical issue. For Ravel, in his mind over a considerable afterevolving works"crystallized" usuallyon long walks: period of time,
In myown workof composition I finda long period of conscious gestation,in I come gradually to see, and withgrowing general,necessary. Duringthisinterval, precision,the formand evolutionwhich the subsequent workshould have as a whole. I may thus be occupied for years withoutwritinga single note of the work-afterwhichthe writing but thereis stillmuch time goes relatively rapidly; in to be spent in eliminating thatmightbe regarded as superfluous, everything the timewhen new conceptionshave to be formulated forfurther composition, but these cannot be forcedartificially, fortheycome onlyof theirown freewill, and often originate in some very remote perception, without manifesting
order to realize as completely as possible final thelonged-for Thencomes clarity.
themselves until after."5 longyears
" Ravel, Music," "Contemporary p. 141.
384
It would also be well to recall Debussy's remarkthat Ravel possessed "thefinest ear thathas everexisted."''36 It is not at all unlikely that a man of Ravel's talentsand workingmethods would have recalled, nearly twenty-five years later, the salient features of in his late twenties, music he had heard and thatthese Malagasy sounds might have figured in one of those long periods of gestation. His rereading of the Parny poems at the moment of commission,the stylistic changes thatwere movinghim closer to the linearity and bitonality of Malagasymusic,and the composiand nostalgiaof his postwar tional reassessment yearsthen might of things wellhavejogged memories Malagasy. It is clear thatRavelhad the opportunity to become acquainted with Malagasy music, and it would have been completely in character for him to have availed himselfof that opportunity. There is also ample rationale for how and whythis awareness evidenceof Malagasy resurfaced duringthe 1920s,and substantial In thislight, the madicasses itself. influencein the score of Chansons common conclusionthatRavel took a naive,secondhand,or even fantasticalapproach to exoticism needs to be reexamined, an effort thatshould bringus closer to understandingthe complex facade. creative mindbehind his stylish
French Modern Music "[L]'oreille la plus finequi aitjamais exist6e."Rollo Myers, from toBoulez(New York:Praeger, 1971), p. 105. Faurd
36

James, Ravel's Chansons Madécasses (MQ 1990)

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

James, Ravel's Chansons Madécasses (MQ 1990)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ravel's "Chansons madcasses:" Ethnic Fantasy or Ethnic Borrowing? Author(s): Richard S. James Source: The Musical Quarterly, Vol.

Ravel's Chansonsmad ecasses:

tsy ha- ten 3

plusieurs fois Reprise

Ja Ja m'la lao rizy rizy e 'la lao

Jai m'la m'la lao. lao. jai

Lokangavoatavo,or simply lokanga,is a somewhat more generic

"[L]'instrument excellencede Ibid. par Madagascar."

threemeasuresbeforerehearsalnumber122. Condensed, Ex. 2. DaphnisetChloe, ostinati only. Ob.,Am

The Musical Quarterly

tent les at - ti- tu - des du plai-

U.1U, 1]. TI ""I

Ravel and EthnicInfluences

A1 de nos p - res, des blancs de - scen

-1?t dirent dans cette i le; on leur dit: Voi des

of thesecomposers and so on. The individualities are Casella, Hindemith,

G. W. Hopkinsis a bitmore analytical:

Musicians,s.v. "Ravel, (Joseph) Maurice," by

de la musique de Madagascar in 1938, compiled his Les instruments

universelle de 1900 in Paris. The direct successor to the the Exposition

order to realize as completely as possible final thelonged-for Thencomes clarity.

themselves until after."5 longyears

" Ravel, Music," "Contemporary p. 141.

You might also like