Ravel Quartet: First Movement

On 9 March, the CMC Paris will perform Ravel’s mesmerisingly beautiful String Quartet. In preparation for that, we’re examining what makes this work so unique and appealing. Last week we looked at Ravel’s early life and a brief overview of the quartet, and this week we’re jumping into the first movement.

French composers around the turn of the century were always looking for ways to distinguish themselves from the behemoth of German musical tradition. Claude Debussy was one of the pioneers that set about creating a uniquely French sound. When Debussy wrote his String Quartet, he wrestled with creating a work that resembled the late Romantic quartets of German composers whilst simultaneously rejecting their forms and conventions.

Ravel modeled his own quartet on Debussy’s. However instead of rejecting German forms and conventions as his compatriot did, Ravel pays homage to them whilst giving them a fresh and unique sound. Let’s look at a few ways that Ravel mixes traditional conventions with an individual musical language to create a beautifully balanced, yet surprisingly original work.

Exposition

First theme

The quartet opens quietly with this beautiful first theme which we’ll call theme 1 (T1).

Adhering to classical ideals of the German tradition, this first theme is balanced and symmetrical. It begins with a 4-bar phrase called the “antecedent”. Notice how the melody in the first violin rises and how the other instruments rise with it.

This is answered with another four-bar phrase called the “consequent”. Again notice how the melody and the instruments of the quartet fall this time.

This opening statement is balanced in that it is an 8-bar period made up of equal parts (4 bars + 4 bars). And it is symmetrical in that the first 4 bars rise and the next 4 bars fall. Also notice the symmetrical nature of the melody line’s rhythm in each 4-bar phrase.

All of these factors give this opening gesture a balanced structure and an aesthetically pleasing sound, a nod to German classical traditions. However, it doesn’t sound like the music of Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven, and this is thanks to Ravel’s use of scales and harmonic devices not traditionally used in the German tradition. Let’s look at a few.

First, the melody is largely pentatonic, that is its notes come from a 5-note scale as opposed to the more common 7-note scale (click here to watch an amazing video of Bobby McFerrin demonstrating the power of the pentatonic scale). The pink notes represent the notes of the pentatonic scale that Ravel uses in this first theme. (Note: the black note “E” is not part of the pentatonic scale but is used by Ravel as ornamentation. This does not change the feeling of pentatonicism in the melody.) Listen to the notes of this pentatonic scale.

Now listen to the pentatonic melody.

Because of the lack of dissonances in the pentatonic scale, this melody has a feeling of openness and tranquility.

Another unusual aspect of the first theme is the strange accompaniment in the cello and second violin. It’s simply a rising F major scale. This adds to the rising feeling in the melody and the overall aesthetic of simplicity in this opening gesture.

This passage is quite interesting harmonically speaking. If it were German music, we would expect a progression of chords that center around the home key of F major. But here Ravel plays around in F major for 4 bars, and then without any preparation, floats into something resembling a distant E-flat major. This creates a sudden subtle shift in colour that is refreshing and surprising.

This is very different to German music in that the harmony here has no function in the traditional sense. It is simply used as an aesthetic choice to add beauty and colour.

In the next 8 bars, the music seems to float in stasis. Here the violins exchange melodic material that is derived from theme 1 (T1), so we’ll call it theme 1 variation (T1a).

In German music, a passage like this would serve to advance the story-telling narrative. But it serves no such purpose in Ravel’s music; it is simply aesthetic. After, we return to the opening statement, this time starting in the viola and then passing to first violin.

Transition

This leads to the transition. The music sheds it adherence to the metre and becomes agitated. The first violin introduces a new transition theme (Tr) again based on theme 1(T1). Notice that this theme is irregular in that instead of lasting 4 beats, it lasts 6 beats. This is then repeated, after which motif 1 (m1) returns. Listen to the first violin’s melody.

The second violin and viola add drive to this section. The second violin part is derived from the opening scale motif (m2) in diminution. The second violin then introduces a quick new motif (m3) that will be passed around the quartet later. Listen to the second violin’s part.

Now listen to the whole transition. Observe how Ravel passes the melodic material around the quartet.

Second Theme

This brings us to the hauntingly beautiful second theme that we’ll call theme 2 (T2). If this theme sounds reminiscent of theme 1(T1) that’s because its elements are once again derived from theme 1 (T1). Even though we might not realise this just by listening, it is clear that the music has a strong feeling of cohesion.

Harmonically, the cello insists on a dark D minor which contrasts with the freshness of the opening F major.

The viola and first violin play the regular 8-bar theme 2 (T2), after which the 2nd violin takes over the theme with a new countermelody (CM1) added in the first violin and then the viola.

Development

The development begins as an extension of what we just heard with occurrences of theme 1 (T1). The harmony is driven by a slow descending whole-tone scale in the cello, which provides gently shifting shades of colour as we navigate through the opening of the development. First, listen to the whole tone scale.

And now the opening of the development.

The mood quickly shifts as the viola reintroduces the theme 1 variation (T1a).

The tension mounts as the viola introduces a new theme, which we’ll call theme 3 (T3) made up of previously used components of other themes. This gives us a sense of familiarity and the harmonies give the music a sense of urgency.

Theme 3 (T3) begins to be stripped away into smaller and smaller bits, as the viola and violins take over the theme. The music crescendoes and accelerates until we reach the wonderful climax where motif 1(m1) is announced by the viola and first violin. The music calms and settles on an uncomfortable harmony.

Recapitulation

Adhering closely to sonata form, Ravel presents the recapitulation almost as we heard it in the Exposition. But there are slight changes that produces quite dramatic differences in mood. Compare the following passages as heard in the Exposition to as they appear in the Recapitulation.

Coda

As we move into the Coda, the music seems to lose all steam. We hear remnants of theme 1 (T1) and remnants of theme 2 (T2), and the harmony is again driven by a slow descending whole-tone scale in the cello. This an exquisite coda that demonstrates Ravel’s incredible use of colours.

This movement is a beautiful demonstration of Ravel’s ability to combine symmetrical classical structure with innovative harmony. It feels cohesive and familiar thanks to Ravel’s use of similar components in all of his themes. And it feels fresh and new thanks to Ravel’s use of unconventional harmonic devices.

Next week, we will explore how Ravel uses these same techniques in his thrilling Iberian-infused scherzo movement.

Très Doux