RAVEL, Maurice (1875-1937)

RAVEL, Maurice (1875-1937)

Autograph letter signed « Maurice Ravel » to Jean Bérard
N.p., 1 p. 1/2 in-8°, in black ink on brown paper
Central fold mark inherent to the original folding.
Very slight split along the fold, without serious damage

Ravel gives his prior approval for his contract with Columbia regarding the recording of his Concerto in G.

The only known letter from Ravel to Jean Bérard

« Mon cher Bérard,
Je vous remercie de m’avoir envoyé le projet de contrat dont vous nous avez donné la lecture l’autre jour. Après l’avoir examiné très attentivement, j’estime qu’il n’y a aucun danger à le signer et que bien au contraire il y a un grand intérêt à nous mettre d’accord avec les éditeurs sur ces bases.
Il m’est malheureusement impossible de venir lundi prochain. C’est pourquoi je vus prie de considérer cette lettre comme une approbation entière.
Si vous le désirez, je suis prêt à apposer ma signature sur ce contrat lorsqu’il prendra un caractère définitif.
Cordialement à vous
Maurice Ravel »

Composed between the summer of 1929 and November 1931, the Concerto in G was premiered at the Salle Pleyel on 14 January 1932. Considered one of the composer’s last masterpieces, it ranks among the most challenging works in his repertoire, so richly layered with complex emotions. Its slow movement, one of the most intimate musical meditations Ravel ever composed, remained inaccessible to him due to a lack of rigorous practice. Nevertheless, he conducted it to great success during his final tour in 1932.
Manuel Cornejo also notes a letter dated 29 July 1933, in which Jean Bérard informs Ravel of the royalties from sales of the Concerto in G recordings, amounting to 9,323.25 francs for the period from its release in January 1933 to the end of March 1933.