Ravel's String Quartet Revision

What is the structure of the 2nd movement of Ravel's String Quartet?

Ternary with several unusual features

In what 3 ways is the B section different to the A section?

• Slower

• Different texture

• Different key

How are the A and B sections similar?

• Many motivic links

• Extensive links in the B section to the reprise of A

What is the tonal aura at the beginning of the B section?

Hovering around Eb

What is the tonal aura at the beginning of the A section?

Aeolian

Describe Ravel’s phrase structure:

Regular, mostly 2 or 4-bar phrases (at the beginning at least!)

Describe Ravel’s melody lines in 2 points:

• Relatively conventional in terms of shape, mostly move in a conjunct manner (very different to Webern)

• Lots of melodic and rhythmic repetition (conventional)

Describe the melody at the end of the A section in 2 points?

• Melody becomes increasingly chromatic (although previously more diatonic)

• More traditionally impressionistic in style

Give an example of motivic repetition in the piece:

Compare violin accompaniment in Bar 22 (B section) with Bar 15 (A section) - same rhythm and similar profiles

Describe the motivic connections between sections and give an example of where this can be seen:

• Fragments of melody are developed and combined

• At the end of the bridge section back to the A reprise (see from Fig 25)

Describe the harmony and tonality in 4 points:

• Broadly tonal with modal inflections

• Begins and ends with Aeolian

• Combines functionality with colour

• Cadences are relatively clear

Describe the harmony at the end of the A section (2 points):

• Violin descends chromatically

• Rich extended dominant 7th chords of E, G#, and then C

Describe the harmony at the end of the movement (2 points):

• Chromatic

• Ends with an augmented 6th moving to the tonic chord (I) not the dominant (V)

Where are there whole tone inflections?

Bar 8

What does Ravel emphasise?

Colour and effect

Describe the texture at the opening:

Rapid all pizzicato texture

Describe the texture of the second subject of the A section:

Tremolos and rapidly repeated figures

Describe the texture just before the reprise:

• Layered

• Violin II plays the idea from the opening in triple stop pizz. against hushed triplet arpeggios and a tune played in double stopped octaves over a pedal

What do the strings display?

A huge range of techniques (tremolo, rapid arpeggios, use of mutes)

Describe the texture at the start of the B section:

• Upside down

• The cello plays the melody

• Violin II has the bass part

• Viola is in the middle

What is the effect of the texture at the start of the B section?

The colour of the music is changed because the instruments are not playing in their normal role