Ravel s sound: Timbre and orchestration in hislate works

Abstract

Ravel s interwar compositions and transcriptions reveal a sophisticated engagementwith timbre and orchestration. Of interest is the way he uses timbre to connect and conceal passagesin his music. In this article, I look at the way Ravel manipulates instrumental timbre to create sonicillusions that transform expectations, mark the form, and create meaning. I examine how he usesinstrumental groupings to create distinct or blended auditory events, which I relate to musicalstructure. Using an aurally based analytical approach, I develop these descriptions of timbre andauditory scenes to interpret ways in which different timbre-spaces function. Through techniquessuch as timbral transformations, magical effects, and timbre and contour fusion, I examine the waysin which Ravel conjures sound objects in his music that are imaginary, transformative, or illusory.