Maurice Ravel : Sonata for Violin and Violoncello

In 1920 Maurice Ravel was asked by his publisher Durand to contribute to an issue of La Revue Musicale dedicated to Claude Debussy. A supplement included the first movement of Ravel?s Sonata as well as works contributed by Debussy?s friends Stravinsky Satie Dukas Bartok and de Falla to name only a few. This 1st movement of Ravel?s Sonata of which the autograph is lost then developed into a large scale four movement chamber music work utilizing a more modern music vocabulary than found in almost any other Ravel composition. Bärenreiter?s scholarly-critical edition the first ever of this masterpiece presents the work in two performing scores. It contains anintroduction on the history of the work reflecting Ravel?s work and rehearsals with violinist Hélène Jourdan-Morhange and cellist Maurice Maréchal. Sources for this new edition include the engraved copy the personal autograph scores (with earlier versions of some passages) which were used to rehearse the work and the first edition scores with emendations by Jourdan-Morhange and Maréchal. Included in the appendix are the original fingerings by the performers which are not found in the first edition. They reflect how Ravel must have heard the work in rehearsals and as such are a document of early 20th century performance practice. First Urtext edition of this workTwo performing scores (format 25 5 x 32 5 cm)The violoncello part does not allow for page turns in the first movement; therefore the edition includes an additional violoncello part in small print presenting the entire first movement on a double page without a page turnInformative introduction to the genesis of the work (Ger/Eng/Fr)Critical commentary with facsimiles and appendices

Violin Sonata in G major-Inspired by Béla Bartók’s Violin sonatas Ravel planned his own sonata for Violin and Piano in 1922 but at first did not get beyond sketches. Many interruptions ensued and the work was onlyfinished in 1927. He dedicated it to his violinist friend Hélène Jourdan-Morhange. Regarding the sonata’s sparse thinned out compositional structure and instrumentation Ravel later emphasized thatthe sonata proved the tonal incompatibility of the Violin and Piano. Yet it still succeeded in winning a permanent place in Violin repertoire – not least because of its middle movement inspired by jazz elements and the“blues”. The fingerings in this Henle Urtext edition have been provided by two masters of their instruments: Christian Tetzlaff and Pascal Rogé.

Composed between 1973 and 1976  Ainsi La Nuit for String Quartet is one of the most important works of its genre by Henri Dutilleux (1916-2013) a French composer following the paths of Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy. Commissioned by the Koussevitzky Foundation for the Juilliard Quartet  Ainsi La Nuitis based on a series of studies lasting 18 minutes and divided into 7 sections: 1. Nocturne 2. Miroir d'espace 3. Litanies 4. Litanies II 5. Constellations 6. Nocturne II 7. Temps suspendu Built on single hexachords it also uses theoctatonic mode and focuses on harmonies contrasts and oppositions of register. Henri Dutilleux was internationally acclaimed for his work winning prizes such as the Gold Medal of the Royal Philharmonic Society and the UNESCO's International Rostrum of Composers among many others. His work also includes a Piano sonata two symphonies the Violin concerto 'L'arbre des songes' (The tree of dreams) and the Cello concerto 'Tout un monde lointain' (A whole distant world).

Created in 1947 as part of the four exam pieces for the Paris Conservatoire this Sonate for Oboe and Piano is one of the early works of Henri Dutilleux (1916-2013) a French Composer following the paths of Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy with an idiosyncratic way of writing. Sonate was part of the compositions that were later disowned by the composer who considered them as being not mature enough compared to his main work even though they were played and enjoyed regularly all over the world. This duet integrates a variety of contrapuntal procedures which were highly appreciated by the composer. Composed of threemovements the first one begins with an austere canon while the latter two comprise more texture. Henri Dutilleux was internationally acclaimed for his work winning prizes such as the Gold Medal of the Royal Philharmonic Society and the UNESCO's International Rostrum of Composers among many others. His work also includes a Piano sonata two symphonies the Cello concerto Tout un monde lointain (A whole distant world) the Violin concerto L'arbre des songes (The tree of dreams) and the string quartet Ainsi la nuit (Thus the night).