Scoring: Wind decet plus optional double bass
Date: 2025Two movements from Ravel's sparkling suite "Le Tombeau de Couperin" arranged for wind decet: "Menuet" and "Rigaudon".
Menuet:
The original tempo of this gorgeous minuet by Maurice Ravel, taken from his suite of pieces for piano (and subsequently arranged for orchestra), is marked Allegro moderato. However, no one performs it as an Allegro, neither pianists nor orchestras, as it is the most laid-back of melodies, reminiscent of lazy summer afternoons on a lake. I have therefore marked the arrangement Allegretto moderato, aiming to retain its lightness and motion without sounding rushed. In this wind decet version I have otherwise followed Ravel's markings and instrumentation wherever possible. The oboe takes the lead throughout most of the piece, except in the middle section, which is much more mysterious and where there are repeated waves of instrumental colours. After the recapitulation the piece concludes in a lovely downward sweep from the piccolo to the bassoons, followed by an almost jazzy double trill on the clarinets.
Links: pdf (score) - pdf (parts) - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib - sib 6
Rigaudon:
A rustic French dance, the Rigaudon is lively, exuberant and fast (marked Assez vif.) The second flute has his or her work cut out in a couple of sections, as in Ravel's original orchestration, but otherwise it is all quite playable and mostly "sits under the fingers" for the decet players. The middle section suddenly slows down and the oboe takes the lead in a sensuous dance accompanied by a gentle rhythmical feature, until the first theme breaks through once again. The ending is subtely different from the first section, however, leading to the different key of F major, only to be replaced - satisifyingly - in the final two bars by the original key of C major.
Links: pdf (score) - pdf (parts) - mp3 - midi - mxl - sib - sib 6
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