First Edition: Paris, Alphonse Leduc, 1884

Dedication: À mes élèves Mesdemoiselles Caroline et Louise DE GOMMECOURT  

This work was composed when Ravina was around 71 years old. By his seventies, he had experienced the sorrow of losing a son, but in 1874, he also found joy when his daughter married into the Leduc publishing house. This publisher still exists today as one of the oldest music publishers. This work was published by Leduc.

"Lied ohne Worte" (German: Lied ohne Worte / French: Romance sans paroles) means "song without words." This genre of piano music became established largely due to Mendelssohn, who published numerous such pieces throughout his life. In France, short pieces with vocal melodies, including nocturnes, were broadly referred to as "songs without words." This work also belongs to this genre, with each piece corresponding to three phases of the mind: "Resignation," "Indolence," and "Suffering." The titles of each piece and the concise, refined writing seem to sublimate Ravina's accumulated joys and sorrows from his later years.

"Resignation" (Résignation) in G-flat Major, Andantino

The French title translated as "Resignation" is « Résignation ». This word implies not merely the voluntary cessation of a goal or desire, but also a nuance close to "諦観" (teikan, philosophical resignation), meaning to accept one's given circumstances or fate without complaint and to surrender oneself to them. Although a short piece in ternary form, it contains very detailed nuance indications throughout. It is particularly important to be aware of the differences in the separated crescendos in the melody (mm. 5-7), the two types of staccato (normal staccato and wedge staccato), and the two types of accents (> and caret accent). Staccato notes with slurs should be played with weight on each note, in a singing manner.

"Indolence" (Indolence) in E Minor, Allegretto quasi Andantino

This title also requires annotation. The original word « Indolence » carries nuances of indifference or insensitivity to external stimuli. It describes a state of mind unmoved by good or evil, happiness or misfortune, and in French dictionaries of the 1870s, it was explained in this sense as a psychological state of old age. The steady staccato accompaniment that dominates the entire piece seems to express a mind that remains unperturbed no matter what happens. The musical character of the middle section (mm. 26-57), marked "sadly (con tristezza)", is rather cheerful. This might be the "sadness" of an elderly person's solitude, reminiscing with nostalgia about pleasant times gone by.

"Suffering" (Souffrance) in G-flat Major, Andante maestoso

At the beginning of the piece, there are tempo and expression indications: "Andante maestoso" (majestic andante) and "con express. dolorosa" (with sorrowful expression). These two expressions appear contradictory at first glance. What does it mean to express suffering majestically? The title « Souffrance » (suffering) also carries the meaning of endurance, or bearing pain, in addition to pain (French: douleur). To withstand suffering, the mind must be firmly supported. Relating this to the music, it could be interpreted as suffering passing over the middle and high registers, supported by a firm bass.

The theme forms a phrase in one measure, with crescendos and decrescendos written at the beginning and end of the phrase (e.g., mm. 1-6), creating musical phrases that breathe slowly. While being mindful of subtle nuances, it is important to apply the indicated pedal and gradual dynamic changes to create significant climaxes in the piece (e.g., mm. 8, 11, 20, 26).

This commentary is based on the commentary in Henri Ravina, "Ravina Piano Works" (Kawai Publishing, edited by Yasushi Ueda), published in 2015.

Score Information: Kawai Publishing ONLINE "Ravina Piano Works"