A Small War Cemetery In Music - Ravel's Tombeau de Couperin

Vlado Perlemutter

Prelude: In memory of First Lieutenant Jacques Charlot
Fugue: In memory of Second Lieutenant Jean Cruppi
Forlane: In memory of First Lieutenant Gabriel Deluc
Rigaudon: In memory of Pierre and Pascal Gaudin
Minuet: In memory of Jean Dreyfus
Toccata: In memory of Captain Joseph de Marliave

When I first came round to studying Ravel's often played Tombeau de Couperin, I was young enough so I hadn't learned that it wasn't the light breezy bit of musical prettiness, as it is usually played as being.  It is a  collection of memorial pieces written during the First World War by Ravel to commemorate young men he knew who died during the war.   It had a deep effect on how I played the several of the pieces I played in recital, I've never played them as a whole set and doubt I will.  as is usual with Ravel there is an underlying sadness beneath the surface but knowing that the pieces were dedicated to young men who died in a terrible war has to have an effect on how you think of them.

Vlado Perlemutter studied Ravel's music with him and played what I believe is the first complete performances of Ravel's piano music in two concerts BEFORE THE COMPOSER.  Though Ravel could be extremely critical of his students he must have liked the way Perlemutter played his music because he asked him to perform Ma mère l'Oye with him.  I like this recording because it's sort of a mix of the harpsichord like clarity of Monique Haas and the more romantic treatment these pieces are often given.  It's always interesting to hear how someone who studied with a composer plays their music, wondering if this or that point you don't think you'd imitate and which isn't indicated in the score is something they got directly from the composer or not.   For me in these pieces it's always the contrast between the slower part of the Rigaudon and the return to the first theme of it, between those who prepare that and those who spring it on you.  If I were going to play it again I'd have to reconsider the way I played it before having heard this recording.

Score