Mikhail Voskresensky: Ravel – Jeux D’eau for Piano

RAVEL, Maurice

Jeux d’eau (Water Games) for piano

Mikhail Voskresensky, guest professor

Juan Pérez Floristán, student

At the beginning of the master class, Professor Voskresensky emphasizes the character and atmosphere of the piece: not too loud because the sound should imitate water; a fountain is like a miracle. Afterwards, they discuss the use of the left pedal depending on the acoustics of the room: the sound should be like water, bright but pianissimo.
The professor likes the student to be very free in their interpretation, but they should use the pedal listening more to themselves so as not to generate a “dirty” sound and change it along with the changes in harmony to obtain another color. In addition, when playing fortissimo, they have to think that they are imitating water, in this case not a fountain but more of a geyser, but water, so it should not be heavy. Later, Prof. Voskresensky points out that the staccato eighth note should be different from the staccato sixteenth note.
They work on several dynamic issues (indications pianissimo subito, crescendi, fortissimo…) as well as agogic ones (not making ritenuto at a certain moment since the water cannot have that tenuto character, corrections of the speed of execution for certain passages, longer pause until the next phrase…).

Language: English