Ravel's String Quartet 2nd Movement

When was Ravel’s string quartet written?

1903

Give 4 points concerning the structure of the 2nd Movement of Ravel’s String Quartet:

Ternary form but with several unusual features

• The B section is much slower than the A section, being pretty much half the speed.

• B Section contrasts the A Sections in terms of key and textures

• The B Section is linked to the A Section by many motivic links

What is an example of a motivic link from the B to A section in Ravel’s String Quartet?

The extensive link back to the reprise of A, in which material from both sections is reworked and combined.

How does the B Section differ from the A section in key?

It hovers around Eb - a long way from the Aeolian opening

Give 5 points concerning the melody and rhythm of the 2nd Movement of Ravel’s String Quartet (DMRRR):

• Melody is initially diatonic but grows more chromatic

• There are many motivic connections between sections

• Ravel’s writes fairly regular phrases

• Melodic lines are also relatively conventional in contour

• There are lots of repetitions of melodic and rhythmic motifs in the melody

What is an example of a motivic connection between sections of Ravel’s String Quartet?

The second violin accompaniment at bar 22 in the B section has the same rhythm and similar profile to the melody of the A2 section at bar 15

What is an example of larger and smaller portions of melody being developed and combined in Ravel’s String Quartet?

At the end of the bridge section back to the reprise of A

How many bars are Ravel’s melodic phrases?

Mostly two and four bars, particularly at the start of the movement

How are Ravel’s melodic lines conventional in contour/shape?

They move mostly by step and small leaps (compared to composers like Webern)

What is a conventional element to the melody of Ravel’s string Quartet?

The repetitions of melodic and rhythmic motifs

When does the melody of Ravel’s string quartet get more chromatic?

Towards the end of the A section and in the B section (more typically impressionist in these passages)

Give 4 points concerning the harmony and tonality of the 2nd Movement of Ravel’s String Quartet (BBRU):

• Ravel achieves a fine balance between colour and functionality

• Broadly tonal with many modal inflections

• Use of rich extended chords

• Use of chromaticism

Give an example of how Ravel blends colour and functionality:

The augmented sixth at the end of the movement which resolves, not to Chord V, but to Chord I in the last two bars, giving a clear cadential impression despite its ambiguity

Give an example of where rich extended chords are used in Ravel’s String Quartet and what were 3 of these chords:

• At the end of the first A section the first violin descends chromatically

• E dominant seventh, followed by G# and then C

Give 2 examples of the modal inflections in Ravel’s String Quartet:

• Begins and ends in the Aeolian mode

• Whole-tone tinges in bar 8

Give 6 points concerning the texture and sonority of the 2nd Movement of Ravel’s String Quartet (AARST):

• Accumulations of layers

• Rapid all-pizzicato texture at the beginning

• Significant emphasis on colour and effect (characteristic of impressionism) achieved by the use of interesting textures

• Reverse texture

• The string writing requires a wide range of techniques

• Tremolos and rapid repeated figures

Where is reverse texture found in Ravel’s String Quartet and what effect does this have?

At the beginning of the B section, the cello has the melody whilst the violin II has the bass part with the viola in the middle, drastically changes the musical colour as instruments are not playing in their normal range or role

Name three string techniques necessary for Ravel’s String Quartet:

• Tremolo

• Use of mutes

• Rapid arpeggio playing

Where is an example of an accumulation of layers?

Before the reprise - second violin plays motif in triple stop pizzicato at the same time as triplet arpeggios and a tune in double stopped octaves, over a pedal

Where are there tremolos and rapidly repeated figures?

In the second idea of the A section (figure 15)

Where is there a rapid all-pizzicato texture?

At the beginning