Özet:

The purpose of this article is to introduce Sonatine, a three part work by Maurice Ravel, an important composer and pianist of 20th century. Sonatine is a difficult piece in regard of both performance and piano playing skill, requiring a strong knowledge of harmony and piano technique. While Ravel has named his work "Sonatine" rather than "Sonata", this proves misleading, considering the degree of difficulty of this piece in regard of piano skill. Ravel has purposefully selected this title, deeming it fit for the structure of the work which is comprised of parts shorter than chapters in classical sonata structure. Important characteristics of this work include its soft lyrical construction, its impressionist harmonic structure, irregular and unexpected pauses, rapidly changing phrase shifts, frequently used tempo changes, and symphonic use of harmonic changes and rhythm changes. While piano is a frequently preferred instrument for impressionist composers, it also prepares the ground for new pursuits in colour timbre and breadth of sound. Use and diversity of pedals gains importance in this period of time. Pedal technique with nuance and frequent tempo changes can be counted among basic aspects emphasising a misty colour of sound, which is a characteristic of impressionist period. Ravel is one of the greatest masters of impressionist music. The melodic, harmonic and rhythmic richness of his works is striking. This article selects some passages from some of his works in an effort to introduce the general structure of his works, and presents recommendations on performance to provide guidance for pianists who wishes to perform his works. In conclusion, recommendations are provided to shed light on and clarify particulars of performance.

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