Ravel
Maurice Ravel (1875–1937), world-famous for his Boléro and brilliant orchestral works, reveals a distinctive facet of his oeuvre in his choral works. Here, the artist, who evolved from a piano virtuoso into a composer, combines the colorful musical language of Impressionism with influences from jazz and folk music, as well as exotic elements.
Ravel’s choral music is characterized by a unique sound aesthetic, featuring modal turns, unresolved dissonances, and subtle dynamic nuances. The number of genuine choral works in his oeuvre is modest, yet well worth exploring. Especially in his works for choir and orchestra, he employs the choir very deliberately and impressively as a timbral element. His music demands technical precision and tonal sensitivity, but rewards the performer with fascinating, impressionistic sounds.
In addition to original works for choir and for choir and orchestra, Carus offers ambitious choirs several arrangements of instrumental works for choir. Particularly noteworthy are the Ravel transcriptions by Clytus Gottwald, which transform Ravel’s orchestral color into vocal soundscapes.
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