Ravel's Favourite Chord

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Жыл бұрын

It's everywhere...and it's delicious.
Many thanks to all the pianists who kindly allowed me to feature their stunning playing. You can find the full performances here:
1) ‪@piNiSM‬ - Menuet sur le nom d'Han: • Ravel: Menuet sur le n...
2) ‪@alexandremadjar‬- Sonatine: • Ravel - Sonatine I. Mo...
3) @Tom Carré - Toccata: • Ravel | Toccata | Le T...
4) ‪@JudithValerieEngel‬ - Sonatine: • Maurice Ravel Sonatine...
5) ‪@francoisdumontpiano‬ - Prelude in Am: • RAVEL - Prélude en la ...
6) ‪@vitalypisarenkopianist‬- Une Barque sur l'Ocean: • Vitaly Pisarenko plays...
7) ‪@vivianlangchen‬ - Piano Concerto in G: • Ravel Concerto in G Ma...
8) Luca Buratto - Menuet: • Luca Buratto: M. Ravel...
9) ‪@AlexeiTartakovsky‬ - Une Barque sur l'Ocean: • Alexei Tartakovsky - R...
10) ‪@HenryKramerPiano‬ - Alborada del Gracioso: • HENRY KRAMER - Ravel A...
11) Leah Kang - Valses Nobles et Sentimentales: • Ravel, Valses nobles e...
12) ‪@ishmuckler‬ - Scabo: • M. Ravel - "Gaspard de...
13) Su Yeon Kim - Ondine: • Su Yeon Kim plays Rave...
More Analysis: • Playlist
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Пікірлер: 139

@vivianlangchen Жыл бұрын

Astute observations as always ☺️ What an honour to be included in your work and to be able to be connected in this way ❤️ Thank you Fred!!

@rushunnhfernandes Жыл бұрын

Minor 9s are just something else, the beauty is transcendent.... I'd love to know if other composers have a so called 'favourite chord'.

@na-kun2136 Жыл бұрын

Rachmaninov used a lot iv7(b5) followed by tonic chord. In russian musical theory textbooks it's widely known as "Rachamaninoff's subdominant". Im not joking he used it almost everywhere and did that very well. For example in the culmination of "how good it is here" or his opera "Aleko". It gives some impression of sorrow, lyricism and extreme tenderness to me.

@alexandrepiano9689 Жыл бұрын

@@na-kun2136 You mean, it would be F A Cb Eb, in C M/m??

@na-kun2136 Жыл бұрын

@@alexandrepiano9689 yes. And then in c minor

@na-kun2136 Жыл бұрын

@@alexandrepiano9689 for example here. Second chord at the begining is the one i mentioned. It resolves to minor tonic kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hNVknbucs9-rkas.html

@Vic9994546 Жыл бұрын

Actually it’s. A major 9th not minor a minor 9th would be c natural. Many composer use chordal extensions to give color or for certain effects like substitution chords and ambiguous chords and something like the V flat 13 sharp 9 sharp 11th

@huzzzzzzahh 11 ай бұрын

Saw the thumbnail, went straight to the piano, and instantly said “yep that’s the one”

@SCRIABINIST Жыл бұрын

Minor 9ths are so beautifully tragic, it's fragile and when Ravel utilizes it, it's like wind blowing caressing or when violently, humanity falling apart

@ThePianoman-- 10 ай бұрын

Well, the 9th shown in this video is a _major_ 9th (h to c#). Says your daily music nerd ;-)

@themobiusfunction 9 ай бұрын

@@ThePianoman-- he said "minor ninth" as in "minor ninth *chord"*, which contains a major ninth on top of a minor seventh chord. Says the experienced composer ;-)

@PipeDreamerJacques Жыл бұрын

It is fascinating to me that almost every single example was in the same key as well…

@FrederickViner Жыл бұрын

I know! The Bm version does feel particularly good under the hand.

@user-nf3kz9ee2n 8 ай бұрын

Minor 9ths feel, self-reflective and melancholy to me. I just found out that every single musical piece or part that I especially love contains the minor add 9th chord! It's just so beautiful and can convey lots of different emotions!

@oudompianist5594 Жыл бұрын

Ravel always knows how to use a minor 9th chord and give it a new color and character. It never gets old and is everlastingly beautiful whenever it happens.

@Ivan_1791 Жыл бұрын

I'm glad I knew the chord that was coming haha. Ravel is sublime, imagine the works we would have gotten if he had lived as many years as R. Strauss for example.

@enriquesanchez2001 Жыл бұрын

OMG! I've noticed this magical chord in Ravel for years and wondered what it was! Thank you! ♥♥♥♥

@Scriabinfan593 Жыл бұрын

Literally everything Ravel wrote is just perfect, I've never heard a single Ravel piece that I didn't like.

@ByzantineCalvinist Жыл бұрын

Ravel is one of my favourite composers, but I can’t stand Bolero.

@dosterix6034 Жыл бұрын

@@ByzantineCalvinist I think he couldn't stand it himself

@ByzantineCalvinist Жыл бұрын

@@dosterix6034 I think you’re right. And he was right too.

@neilr5208 Жыл бұрын

Look up Frontispiece lol

@Scriabinfan593 Жыл бұрын

@@neilr5208 I actually love that piece sounds like Messiaen towards the end, and I love Messiaen.

@eel9 Жыл бұрын

YEP NOTICED THIS ALSO!!! Ravel is SO GOOD at using this chord....

@theaussiewaffle4276 Жыл бұрын

Whenever I produce or compose, the first thing that I need to make sure is, 'Do these chords sound "pretty" enough?'. If the chords don't spark intrigue, keep you anticipating for something, or evoke a deep emotional response I tend to give up and find new inspiration. A bland progression with good lyrics can be popular to most - a beautiful progression can carry even the worst of lyrics.

@andrewfortmusic Жыл бұрын

This chord is so present and effective in Ravel’s music that I started using it without intending to, or even knowing what it was called!

@SJ-gy2rf Жыл бұрын

you can find this chord in his vocal pieces like the trois poemes de mallarme and sheherazade too

@damienheemskerk Жыл бұрын

Great video! The best thing is that in Ravel's music the chord never gets old

@FrederickViner Жыл бұрын

Thank you, Damiën! So true.

@MarcoLongoMusic Жыл бұрын

Great selection! The Pavane is also filled with minor 9ths

@InstrumentManiac Жыл бұрын

Such a gorgeous chord & his many ways of using it never get old🥲❤ great video, nice to see it all side by side!

@FrederickViner Жыл бұрын

Isn't it?! Thank you, mister Maniac, I'm a huge admirer of yours! 🤩

@catherineloriotahahah6614 Жыл бұрын

Le plus grand compositeur au monde

@danieltarr1825 Жыл бұрын

Wonderful exercise ranking. Do you also rank sunsets?

@ziqianliu1997 Жыл бұрын

This is absolutely brilliant! Thanks for letting me know:)❤

@Black-bm8wc Жыл бұрын

This is extremely funny because i've always thought "this chords comes back so often, or maybe im just paranoid" and you actually showed me it was even more present than i thougt

@FrederickViner Жыл бұрын

I always thought that too (or maybe we are slightly paranoid?), so thought I'd finally see for myself. We were right!

@mohhingman 11 ай бұрын

Love everything of Ravel!

@user-ms6fp4uj5m Жыл бұрын

You always uploading inspiring musical contents. And I really really appreciate it!! Also Ravel is my musical Idol. I love his color so much!

@yunsuuu Жыл бұрын

Wow I now know what this heart rending emotional chord is! This explanation is so helpful for laypeople too! Please do it for other composers too!

@pianomisto Жыл бұрын

Very wonderfull 😀😍

@diegovillacrez8349 Жыл бұрын

One of my favorites too

@jkcomposerwolf Жыл бұрын

I was just studying Ravel this weekend - perfect timing! Thank you for the video, this was lovely.

@FrederickViner Жыл бұрын

Glad it came at the right time :)

@gracewenzel Жыл бұрын

Such a brilliant video.

@FrederickViner Жыл бұрын

Thank you, Grace! So pleased you enjoyed it :)

@CarbonPhysics Жыл бұрын

Debussy loved it, too.

@JudithValerieEngel Жыл бұрын

Love this video, thanks for including me :)

@johnchessant3012 Жыл бұрын

Great video! I must've noticed this subconsciously but now I'm gonna be looking for this chord everywhere haha. From the thumbnail the first example I thought of was the gorgeous restatement of the main theme midway through Act I, mvmt. 4 of Daphnis et Chloe. It's actually not technically an F#m(add9) because there's a D# in the bass, so I guess it'd be a D#m7(b5,add11). It's one of my favorite moments from the piece.

@douwemusic Жыл бұрын

Haha I just commented this: in the 2nd measure of the main theme of Daphnis et Chloé (like the first horn solo), the ascending 5th is ALWAYS to a m9

@PaulGTerry Жыл бұрын

Wow that's so interesting!!

@FrederickViner Жыл бұрын

So glad you think so! I know I do, but it's always reassuring when others share my passion for this stuff :)

@maximilien_lieder Жыл бұрын

And the examples could go on, like the final measure of the "Menuet en ut dièse mineur". In any case, thanks for this wonderful video ✨

@FrederickViner Жыл бұрын

Exactly! I so nearly included one from that piece but couldn't find a way of slotting it in. Thanks for the kind words :)

@zeke7269 Жыл бұрын

God I was thinking abt the one in Une Barque as I was watching and was hoping it would be here!!

@FrederickViner Жыл бұрын

Great minds think alike! I couldn't miss out that one :)

@angelajowichewich8062 Жыл бұрын

Also my favorite 😉

@Tizohip Жыл бұрын

very good

@r.j4449 Жыл бұрын

It sounds very magical and etheral, as Ravel music itself

@jordangermanenriquez1243 5 ай бұрын

Bm is my Chord Favorite... That explain why I love his music

@jakebruner2719 Жыл бұрын

I think you could make a similar video about his use of half-diminished 7ths or minor 7 b5s since I’d argue his use of these is far more innovative and distinct than any other classical composer in my opinion. That or his use of tri tones in the baseline or his chromatic mediants that somehow magically resolve to functional harmony- often in ways that would impress the more hardcore of jazz theorists….

@douwemusic Жыл бұрын

In the 2nd measure of the main theme of Daphnis et Chloé (like the first horn solo), the ascending 5th is almost always to an m9

@andynalysis Жыл бұрын

Jaaaaazzz (sorry, I had to... 😂)! Training myself to not think too strictly in categories as always, but: It's so interesting to me how added 9ths are just accepted as stand-alone colors in Jazz and Pop music, yet in a classical context they tend to feel more like suspensions (9 - 1). So thinking about the Minor add9 as an unresolved melodic suspension could be an explanation for its yearning quality.

@FrederickViner Жыл бұрын

Cheers Andy and nice to hear from you! I think you're definitely on to something there. What's interesting in these examples is that some resolve and some don't. He clearly favoured the chord but he continuously seeks out new harmonic contexts to place it within. As an aside, the compositions I'm working on at the moment feel distinctly 9thy...

@davidsheriff9274 4 ай бұрын

That was what Bill Evans and Miles Davis were picking up on when they made Kind of Blue. The idea of getting away from traditional jazz progressions and focusing more on creating a mood with a certain mode, Miles and Bill Evans were huge Ravel fans.

@finaleguy Жыл бұрын

This mentality open the street to contemporary modality

@stefanotrotta9845 Жыл бұрын

Also in left hand concerto, 6 bars after number 9, there's a beautiful arpeggio on Bm add9 chord

@douwemusic Жыл бұрын

Also, second minor theme of his String Quartet, 1st movement, like Daphnis an ascending 5th to a m9 (:

@fortunatosalvadorgarciapiquer Жыл бұрын

I am currently practicing his left hand piano concerto and it is full of that chord 🤯

@FrederickViner Жыл бұрын

Including in the same Bm transposition if I remember correctly? That's so exciting - all the best with your preparations! Will you be able to make a recording of it? :)

@fortunatosalvadorgarciapiquer Жыл бұрын

@@FrederickViner Exactly! And hopefully yes, I will upload it to my channel most probably. Such an amazing concerto 🎶

@neilr5208 Жыл бұрын

One instance that comes to mind that you missed is the fairy garden from Ma Mere L'Oye

@matthewkennedy5007 Жыл бұрын

This same chord is found at the end of Martinů's Double Concerto.

@oregontenor1237 Жыл бұрын

It’s nice to know that my brain is soundly at a tritone from Ravel’s I’m terms of chords that make brain go brrr.

@Populous3Tutorials Жыл бұрын

plot twist: ravel's fav chord was actually C major but no one knew

@douwemusic Жыл бұрын

Not even Ravel knew

@theme542 Жыл бұрын

C major do go hard

@Rene-uz3eb 10 ай бұрын

1:34 aha. I was looking for this chord (G maj 7 no5). It may not look like anything special but I think what he does is manifesting two roots in a major third, which usually we would perceive just as one root, because the major third is part of a tonic chord. But by adding a fifth F# on top of the second root B, we perceive B as a root as well, not just part of the G chord. Then in the third measure he modulates this a step down, which sounds doubly interesting because we're moving two centers at once.

@Akimie Жыл бұрын

Ravel: le langage musical dans l'œuvre pour piano : à la lumière des principes d'analyse de Schoenberg

@editoe_b Жыл бұрын

It’s almost as if there’s a limited amount of chords one can use that sound nice

@illia_dmytryk_style2221 Жыл бұрын

Я здесь только из-за этого потрясающего до глубины души момента!!! 1:56

@davidcramerjr883 Жыл бұрын

I'm pretty sure it's in Daphnis et Chloe as well.

@KinkyLettuce Жыл бұрын

juicy

@exodus_20_15 3 ай бұрын

My favorite chord is a m9 clashing with a m10 and resolving or a IV/VI with a M9 that doesn’t resolve.

@solys934 Жыл бұрын

Wow it's good! Can you to do the same with Debussy?

@FrederickViner Жыл бұрын

Once I figure out what his favourite chord was...

@solys934 Жыл бұрын

@@FrederickViner Thanks

@littleatarluoamadeus 4 ай бұрын

use severa 5th to deal with the 2th, composing a pure but decorative scene.

@shuatock8216 Жыл бұрын

Has anyone noticed how common it is for romantic period music to put the C in the base for Ab7 chords?

@cosainsegnarealmentelatorr4532 6 ай бұрын

May be I see it in Debussy too?

@Ziad3195 Жыл бұрын

Can you make one for Debussy?

@FrederickViner Жыл бұрын

I'll see what I can do...

@Ziad3195 Жыл бұрын

@@FrederickViner thank you! Alsp Beethoven!

@timothyj.bowlby5524 2 ай бұрын

What looks like a chord tone might not actually be one. I wonder if some of the C#'s in, for example, m. 5 as ca. the 9 second mark of your video might be appoggiaturas, passing tones, etc., etc.?

@ulysse__ Жыл бұрын

Isn't it more accurate to analyse the chord just as a regular Bm chord with a C# appoggiatura, though? Since Ravel always resolves the C# into a B.

@FrederickViner Жыл бұрын

It actually only resolves some of the time, in which case yes it would technically be an appoggiatura. However he used it, he was clearly fond of the 9th!

@ivankuligovskii5046 Жыл бұрын

Это Ашдефисцис, аккорд ЯБ и Кишкирбека Уралбека Первого мир его праху

@burgerhex Жыл бұрын

this is also a key chord in debussy's famous claire de lune!

@planetqwerty Жыл бұрын

The 1953 classic "Cry Me a River" will never sound the same again! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/g9F0ks6K0LjPY5c.html

@AlbertoJamases Жыл бұрын

Un acorde más viejo que Matusalén.

@bzuuu7788 9 ай бұрын

i dont think is minor add 9, is just resolve 9-8

@mudbone7706 Жыл бұрын

Interesting video but where's the min9 at 1:27? Looks like a Gmaj7 chord.

@ilikeplayingffftonecluster851 Жыл бұрын

It’s an Emin9, you can hear the root being played shortly after the upper extensions.

@mudbone7706 Жыл бұрын

@@ilikeplayingffftonecluster851 Oh yes, I hear it and see it now. Thanks!

@FrederickViner Жыл бұрын

I realised I should have highlighted the bass notes too, just to make it extra clear...

@coronaphone710 Жыл бұрын

I like this music so much. It's such a shame that these people are snobbish. Too snobbish for their own good in my honest opinion Especially in these changing times. I always wanted to learn a classical. instrument but the people are so snobbish. I live near Maastricht so I can tell. These are just horrible academic snobbish people.

@ilikeplayingffftonecluster851 Жыл бұрын

There are plenty of those but that goes for any music genre. Most of the people here are just expressing their love of Ravel or talking about other theoretical examples, far worse comment sections out there. That aside I encourage you to learn regardless, to hell with the snobs.