Valses nobles et sentimentales, composed in 1911 for solo piano, consists of eight short waltzes. It was premiered in the same year by Louis Aubert at a concert of the Société des Indépendants and dedicated to him. There is an anecdote that Ravel deliberately concealed his name at that concert, allowing the audience to guess the composer, and only about half of them guessed correctly. The first edition was also published by Durand in the same year, and the score opens with a line by the French poet and novelist Henri de Régnier (1864-1936): “The sweet and ever-new pleasure of an aimless occupation.”

According to Ravel, the title of this work indicates his intention to “compose a series of waltzes following Schubert’s example.” In this context, it is possible to point out Schubert’s Valses sentimentales, Op. 50, D. 779, and Valses nobles, Op. 77, D. 969, due to the similarity in titles, and commonalities between these two works and Ravel’s Valses nobles et sentimentales have already been discussed. However, Ravel himself did not definitively name the specific works he used as models.

 Each waltz in Valses nobles et sentimentales differs in character, but no titles are given to them except for the final piece, “Épilogue.” In this regard, the suggested influence of Schumann’s Papillons and Carnaval, in addition to Schubert, is considered very helpful when performing the work.

Waltz No. 1

Modéré - très franc (“Moderately - very frank”) ♩=176. Three-part form: A. Measures 1-20, B. Measures 21-60, Aʹ. Measures 61-80.

A waltz with a lively character. Although G major is the basic tonality, the piece skillfully utilizes dissonances from the very beginning. However, by carefully listening to both the atonal sounds, such as the diminished fifth and chromatic intervals within the chords, and the tonal sounds, the performance will naturally lead to a beautiful tone quality.

Especially at the end of section A, where the tonality of D major is established, and at the end of the piece, where G major becomes clear, one should be mindful of clarifying the bass progression.

Waltz No. 2

Assez lent – avec une expression intense (“Quite slow – with intense expression”) ♩=104. Two-part form: A. Measures 1-32, Aʹ. Measures 33-64.

The basic tonality is G minor, the parallel minor of the first waltz. Unlike the previous piece, a melancholic atmosphere pervades. When playing, be aware that many sections have a modal sound, for example, by lowering the leading tone F# (fis) of G minor to F (f).

Measures 25-28 evoke E-flat major, contrasting with the atonal and tense section immediately preceding them. Therefore, relaxing and feeling a gentle sway to release tension will result in a performance consistent with the instruction “un peu plus lent et rubato” (“a little slower, with rubato”).

Waltz No. 3

Modéré (“Moderately”). Three-part form: A. Measures 1-16, B. Measures 17-56, Aʹ. Measures 57-72.

The basic tonality of section A is E minor, and the figuration gives a light and precise impression. In section B, slurs are frequently used, and it begins with a D major sound, so it would be good to aim for a brighter timbre, feeling a larger movement and undulation. On the other hand, in measures 33-35, the right hand continuously plays chords almost always containing diminished fifths and augmented fourths, preventing the establishment of a clear key. This can be interpreted as conveying an unstable, searching expression, marked “expressif” (“expressively”). Be aware that the tonal sense of G major is clear at the end of this piece, and conclude it brightly.

Waltz No. 4

 Assez animé (“Quite animated”) Dotted half note = 80. Three-part form: A. Measures 1-16, B. Measures 17-30, Aʹ. Measures 31-46.

In contrast to the clear G major ending of the previous piece, this waltz begins with an elusive sound, where the key is not clearly defined. This is because many sections are written using the octatonic scale, or (what would later be called) Messiaen’s “Mode of Limited Transposition No. 2.” By being aware of both the sections that deviate from the traditional tonal system and those that are clearly tonal, one can create a grand flow.

Waltz No. 5

 Presque lent – dans un sentiment intime (“Almost slow – with an intimate feeling”) ♩=96. Three-part form: A. Measures 1-8, B. Measures 9-24, Aʹ. Measures 25-32.

A waltz where chromatic alterations played within p, pp, and ppp create a sense of delicacy. This waltz also contains sections where the octatonic scale is used. It also features an alternation between atonal sections and sections that evoke various keys. For example, if one plays the initial atonal section feeling drawn towards the resolution in E major, it is possible to perform it as a single slur over four measures, even at a slow tempo. Throughout the piece, careful listening and a light touch will likely be required.

Waltz No. 6

 Vif (“Lively”) Dotted half note = 100. Three-part form: A. Measures 1-16, B. Measures 17-44, Aʹ. Measures 45-60.

A piece with a lively and humorous atmosphere. Focusing on the bass progression, measures 1-2 show C# (cis) → G, an augmented fourth, but in measures 3-4, it changes to C (c) → G, a perfect fifth. Since these alternations are repeated, a playful expression can be created while still indicating a tonal sense of C major. That is, if one perceives four measures as a single phrase, one can naturally approach the Vif tempo.

Waltz No. 7

 Moins vif (“Less lively”) ~ Tempo Io (“First tempo”). Three-part form with an 18-measure introduction: A. Measures 19-66, B. Measures 66 (beat 1.5) - 110, Aʹ. Measures 111-158. This is the largest and most brilliant waltz among the eight pieces. Ravel himself stated that this piece is the most characteristic. In sections A and Aʹ, where the key is clear, it would be good to play while carefully listening to the chromatic progressions. In the middle section, the writing changes, creating a flowing impression, and similarities to Chopin’s waltzes have also been noted.

Waltz No. 8: Épilogue

 Lent (“Slowly”) ♩=76. Free three-part form: A. Measures 1-40, B. Measures 41-61, Aʹ. Measures 62-74.

The characteristic of this Épilogue (final piece) is the appearance of fragments from the preceding waltzes, played at a slow tempo and primarily within a limited dynamic range of pp and p. For this reason, there are studies that interpret it as music of “recollection,” and its content sets it apart from the other waltzes. It is also considered the most challenging waltz in terms of performance interpretation and execution itself. Since the performer cannot play this piece in a state of excessive relaxation or dreaminess, it will be necessary to maintain concentration, focusing not only on the tonal and atonal senses but especially on the sections where fragments from the first seven waltzes recur.