Piano Concerto in G
Allegramente - Adagio Assai - Presto

Ravel was born in the Basque region of Southern France. When he was a child his parents moved to Paris, where, in his early teenage years, like all the great French composers of that age, he enrolled at the Paris Conservatoire. He was attached to the institution for some sixteen years. Here his music was seen as controversial and lacking the academic rigour of the rather stuffy organ composers and professors of the time. Indeed, in his last year, he entered for the top prize for composition, the Prix de Rome, only to be knocked out in the preliminary round. In protest, the Director of the Conservatoire resigned. At least he could see that he had a genius amongst his students. After all Ravel had written works already that are now regarded as masterpieces, which they are.

His solo piano music is regarded as some of the finest works written for the instrument. Compared with the piano music of his contemporary Debussy, Ravel’s music is more classical in nature and certainly music harder to play!

Ravel was a genius, especially when writing for a large orchestra. For example, the precision and colour of his ballet score Daphnis and Chloe is breathtaking and unbelievable.

The Piano Concerto in G dates from 1929-1931 and is one of the most popular concertos certainly of the C20th.  Brilliantly scored and composed, there are echoes of the Spanish dance and Jazz. Indeed the story goes that Gershwin wrote to Ravel to ask for lessons. When the Frenchman found out what the America earned, he retorted that perhaps he, Ravel, should have lessons from Gershwin. The work was originally intended as the centrepiece of a grand tour that Ravel wanted to undertake in 1931 with the composer as the soloist. However, ill health and his lack of ability to play the work meant that this didn’t happen. The work was premiered by the great French pianist Margueritte Long. At the centre of the work is a beautiful serene slow movement. 

When Mme. Long praised its flowing melody Ravel is said to have replied “That passage, how I worked over it bar by bar. It nearly killed me”.