Sit still if you can
Ravel was born in the Basque Country, which influenced his work for the rest of his life. With a French father who was an engineer, and a Spanish mother described as a “free thinker,” it’s clear why Maurice’s works turned out the way they did. A fine mix of structure combined with play and dance.
It is difficult to classify Ravel within a single genre. There are hints of both impressionism (a term he did not approve of) and neoclassicism. At the same time, he was fascinated by jazz and spirituals, Christian songs created by African slaves in the USA. Music that invites you to move.
So, let’s see if you can sit still when the Oslo String Quartet sweeps you away with Bolero or when Benjamin invites you to waltz. We won’t judge. By all means, let yourself go. As Ravel himself said: “Music, I feel, must be emotional first and intellectual second.”
Friday, June 27
18:00– 19:15
Risør Church
Alle pieces by Maurice Ravel:
La valse
Strykekvartett i F-dur
Bolero
Tzigane
Benjamin Grosvenor – Piano
Oslo String Quartet