David & Slava Guerchovitch - Ravel . Imaginaire [CD]

Cat. no: ODRCD464
Format: CD
Barcode: 0810042704640
Release Date: 23 May 2025
Genre: Classical

In Imaginaire, brothers David and Slava Guerchovitch bring together two of Ravel's most beguiling and imaginative works for violin and piano, the Violin Sonata No 2 and Tzigane, alongside a piano arrangement of his enchanting Ma mere l'Oye.Violinist David Guerchovitch is frst concert master of the Bern Symphony Orchestra, while pianist Slava Guerchovitch's Odradek debut Born in Monaco explored their rich musical heritage

In Imaginaire, the brothers seek to illuminate this repertoire with a fresh approach, shedding where possible the baggage of established interpretations. For the Violin Sonata, they drew inspiration from the manuscript of the frst performance, which contains not only the indications of Ravel, but also of George Enescu, the frst interpreter of the sonata and a great friend of the composer, with whom he had studied. They also fnd parallels between each movement and other compositions by Ravel: the dreamy frst movement reminiscent of Ma mre l'Oye; the second movement of the harmonies ofL'enfant et les sortilges; the last movement in the insistent rhythms and abrupt ending of Bolro.

Jacques Louis Albert Charlot, composer and close friend of Ravel, made the transcription of Ma mere l'Oye featured on this recording. Approved by Ravel himself, this transcription reproduces the work in its fnal form, that of the ballet created in 1912. Charlot was killed in the Great War and Ravel paid tribute to him in the dedication of his 'Prelude' from Le tombeau de Couperin . Charlot's transcription requires one or two additional hands for the execution of the additional staves in the frst two movements, making public performance virtually impossible. Here, thanks to Odradek's recording technology, Slava records the additional voices separately, then combines them with the main voice.

Ravel's Tzigane is a work that embodies his imagination through its vibrant and passionate evocation of Romanian and Hungarian cultures. Its improvisatory character is determined by rigorous rhythmic notations, which the brothers were able to observe on the manuscript itself, kept in their hometown of Monaco. These often ignored indications allowed them to take a new approach to this undoubted classic.

Tracks: Maurice Ravel: Violin Sonata No. 2 in G Major, M. 77. I. Allegretto / Maurice Ravel: Violin Sonata No. 2 in G Major, M. 77. II. Blues. Moderato / Maurice Ravel: Violin Sonata No. 2 in G Major, M. 77. III. Perpetuum mobile. Allegro / Maurice Ravel: Ma mere l'Oye, M. 60. Prelude / Maurice Ravel: Ma mere l'Oye, M. 60. I. Danse du Rouet et Scene / Maurice Ravel: Ma mere l'Oye, M. 60. II. Pavane de la Belle au bois dormant / Maurice Ravel: Ma mere l'Oye, M. 60. III. Les entretiens de la Belle et de la Bete / Maurice Ravel: Ma mere l'Oye, M. 60. IV. Petit Poucet / Maurice Ravel: Ma mere l'Oye, M. 60. V. Laideronnette, Imperatrice des pagodes / Maurice Ravel: Ma mere l'Oye, M. 60. Apotheose. Le jardin feerique / Maurice Ravel: Tzigane, rapsodie de concert, M. 76