Violin Sonata (No.2), MVT. II: "Blues" (1927)

When did Ravel write his autobiographical sketch?

1928

What did Ravel want to demonstrate within the piece?

Independent part-writing

What did Ravel argue about the violin and piano?

They “are in my opinion essentially incompatible… the Sonata reveals their incompatibility

What have many commentators of suggested about Ravels argument of piano and violin being incompatible?

This observation is somewhat old news

What often partners a piano?

Chordophones or aerophones

What does Violinist Susan Baer say about the blending of piano and other instruments?

“One might argue that the piano really does not blend well with [any] of the instruments with which it has been paired in the sonata literature”

What was Ravels goal at face value?

To keep the instruments separated and distinct

How did Ravel take the idea of separated and distinct instruments one step further?

By treating each of the two hands as separate entities

Rather than a due, what is the Violin Sonata?

A type of trio

How many parts are there to the layering in Violin Sonata?

3

Which instrument begins the movement alone?

The violin

How does the violin begin the movement?

By launching a steady series of pizzicato block chords

How many block chords are there per beat?

1

What key does the violin play in during the introduction?

G major

What does the plucked violin mimic?

The strumming sounds of a guitar, piano ,or even a ukulele

What style comes to mind during the violins introduction?

Country blues

The accompaniments of country blues can be described as what?

Simple

The regularly occurring chords have what effect?

An ostinato effect

How does Ravel interrupt the steadiness of the ostinato effect?

By shifting to new harmonies and sudden dynamic contrasts

True or False, the introductory chords follow a twelve-bar-blue pattern

False, they do not conform to the traditional twelve-bar-blues pattern

The introductory chords emphasize what?

The same three primary harmonies

What 3 primary harmonies are apart of the twelve bar blues?

I, IV< and V

What introduces a perfect fifth interval?

The pianos left hand

How many counts does the perfect fifth interval sustain for?

8 counts

After sustaining for 8 counts what does the perfect fifth do?

Repeats

The repition of the perfect 5th interval resembles what?

A trombone or string bass in a rhythm section

The first appearance of the perfect 5th makes what clear?

Ravel is not a blues musician but rather a modern era art-music composer

What are the two sustained pitches?

A♭ and E♭

What key is the piano in?

A♭ major

How many flats are in an A♭ major?

4

The violins key signature contains how many sharps?

1

What does Ravel explore the use of during “Blues”?

Polytonality

Where does the thrd layer of Ravels texure make its first appearance?

Measure 8

What is the third layer of Ravels texture?

A short bluesy riff

The short bluesy riff of the third layer of Ravels texture is played by what?

The piano’s right hand

What does the short bluesy third layer open with?

An upper neighbor motion C-D-C

The opening of the third layer reminds Mark DeVoto of what?

Tableau I of Milhauds La creation du monde

Where does the time keeping pulses shift from?

The violin to the right hand of the piano

The sustained whole notes continue into what hand?

The left hand

What key does the violin change to?

A♭ major

After shifting to the pianos A♭ major what is the violin told to play?

Nostalgico using the bow

The melody in Ravels Blues is reminiscent of what?

Bessie Smiths flexibility in Lost Your Head Blues

The image of what sounds are heard?

A blues singer, clarinet, or saxophone

What structure does Ravel proceed through?

A rondo like structure

Which refrain is the nostalgico?

the A refrain

What is the A refrain interrupted by?

The first episode (B)

What does the B refrain feature?

Busier ostinato patterns in the piano, and a simpler violin melody

When the A returns how has it changed?

A more ragtime style piano supports the violin melody

What does the violin play in the C episode?

The accompanying tole of steady pizzicato pulses

What does the piano play in the C episode?

Its own bluesy melody

What instrument leads the tune to the D episode?

The violin

What does the piano perform in the D episode?

Crisp ostinatos that seem to be based on the short upper neighbor riff

Where is the short upper neighbor riff introduced?

measure 8

What does the violin play in measure 8?

A rhythmically independent bluesly line

What instrument takes the lead when the C episode returns?

The piano

What does the violin play when the C episode returns?

Short pairs of sixteenth notes in a banjo-like accompaniment

As the A refrain tries to re-enter what persists?

The banjo motifs

The last A episode has the violin playing what?

Nostalgico

The piano and violin in the A tune engages in what?

A call-and-response

The violin and piano engage in call and response until when?

The ppiano plays the upper neighbor riff one more time

After playing the upper neighbor riff in the last A refrain the piano plays what?

An apreggio through an A♭ major chord

While the piano is playing an arpeggio what does the violin do?

Performs forceful glissando to a G♭

What does the piece end with?

A jazz-like seventh chord