Pavane pour une infante défunte
(Pavane for a Dead Princess)
by Maurice Ravel – arranged for wind orchestra by Robert Lennon
Ravel wrote the Pavane for piano in 1899, while still a student of Fauré, and orchestrated it in 1910. As in Ravel’s orchestration, this arrangement gives the opening melody to the solo horn, with the oboe taking the second theme. Accompanying textures are light enough to ensure that the soloists can perform comfortably.
Performance Details
Duration: 6 minutes approx.
Difficulty: Moderate
Instrumentation
Flutes 1,2 & 3
Oboes 1 & 2
Cor Anglais1
Clarinet in E♭
Clarinets 1,2 & 3 in B♭
Bass Clarinet
Alto Saxophones 1 & 2
Tenor Saxophones 1 & 2
Baritone Saxophone
Bassoons 1 & 2
4 Horns in F
3 Trumpets in B♭
2 Trombones
Bass Trombone
Euphonium(s)
Tuba(s)
Vibraphone2
Harp3
Double Bass
Notes: 1 Cues are provided in case unavailable. 2 Ossia in absence of harp. 3 Can be omitted or substituted by keyboard or vibraphone ossia.
Listen and follow the score on YouTube;
Solo horn and solo oboe, over an accompaniment kept deliberately light
The piece conveys a restrained, gentle melancholy rather than tragedy. The tempo is a matter of some controversy – conductor’s vary dramatically in their approach and Ravel’s own tempo markings are no exception: 80 beats per minute for the piano version and 54 for the orchestral. This recording – in common with countless others – moves at a relaxed, unhurried pace.
At about six minutes it sits comfortably as a slow centrepiece. It asks nothing technically difficult of the ensemble as a whole, but it does give two principal players some time in the spotlight.
Want to look at the score first?
A full perusal score is available free, with no obligation — everything you need to decide whether this belongs in your programme.
Full score & set of parts $55
(Downloadable PDF format – 1 full score, A3 size plus set of 24 parts, A4)
Purchase orders from schools and colleges accepted
If you’re considering this for a programme and want to talk it through, get in touch — happy to discuss.