#pavaneforadeadprincess

[artofthemusesweekly]

velázquez, las meninas, c. 1656, oil on canvas (museo nacional del prado, madrid) Paired with ravel's pavane for a dead princess.

[artofthemusesweekly]

"pavane for a dead princess" (ravel)

Listen to the arrangement for piano & violin.

I moved into my new apartment today and woke up to my roommate rehearsing Ravel's Pavane pour une infante défunte (Pavane for a dead princess) on his double bass along with a piano accompanist.  More commonly heard in its orchestral arrangement, the double bass, distinctly in the foreground, offered a real warmth and tenderness to this piece.

The pavane was a stately dance from Spain.  It is said Ravel's piece pays homage to the Infanta Margarita, daughter of King Philip IV of Spain, who commissioned Velázquez to paint Las meninas.  The orchestral version linked below (but listen first to the very beautiful piano and violin version above) shows us the amount of colour and fullness Ravel poured over the piece.  However, I really encourage everyone to listen to Edgar Meyer's version on double bass and piano for a more subdued and fragile interpretation of this wonderful work (ask me for it because you won't find it online).

I hope you enjoy listening to it with the Velázquez.  And let me know which arrangement you like most.

More listening:

Listen to an arrangement for a quartet (piano, violin, flute, clarinet).

Listen to the orchestral arrangement.