Maurice Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin celebrates the Baroque tradition of composer Francois Couperin while also paying tribute Ravel's friends who died in World War I.
What surprised and even shocked early listeners is that this four-movement orchestral suite, completed in 1919, is anything but solemn and mournful. In fact, it’s full of charm, elegance and even light-heartedness. Questioned about his decision not to create a more somber work, Ravel said, “The dead are sad enough in their eternal silence.”
This choice imbues the music with a sense of resilience and grace, honoring memory through beauty rather than sorrow.
Originally written as a six-movement piano suite between 1914 and 1917, Ravel later orchestrated four of the movements — Prélude, Forlane, Menuet, and Rigaudon —leaving out the Fugue and Toccata. This symphonic version transforms the intimate keyboard homage into a shimmering tapestry of sound, showcasing Ravel’s brilliant instrumentation.
The movements retain their Baroque-inspired dance forms, but Ravel’s orchestration breathes new life into them.
- The Prélude: In memory of Lieutenant Jacques Charlot (cousin of Ravel’s publisher, who died March 1915, aged 30). The first movement opens with a restless oboe solo, setting a tone of graceful motion and wistful lyricism.
- The Forlane: In memory of Lieutenant Gabriel Deluc (Basque painter, died September 1916, aged 34). With its antique harmonies and subtle dissonances, the second movement evokes both the Baroque and modernity, blending playful and lyrical Italian folk dance rhythms with Ravel’s chromatic flair.
- The Menuet: In memory of Jean Dreyfus (died late 1916; Ravel recuperated at the Dreyfus family home near Rouen after he was demobilized). The movement sparkles with woodwind solos and delicate textures. The somber middle section is a “musette,” featuring a subtle bagpipe-like drone.
- The Rigaudon: In memory of Pierre and Pascal Gaudin (brothers, aged 26 and 30, close friends of Ravel, killed by a single shell on their first day at the front in November 1914). The Rigaudon was a vigorous dance popular in France in the 17th and 18th centuries among both ordinary people and at court. With its brisk tempo and lively character, the finale reflects the exuberant French spirit across centuries.
Premiered in Paris in 1920, Le Tombeau de Couperin remains a staple of the concert repertoire, admired for its clarity, charm, and emotional depth. It’s a timeless dialogue between past and present, rendered in Ravel’s unmistakable voice.
© 2025 Paul Hyde
Paul Hyde, a longtime arts journalist, is an English instructor at Tri-County Technical College in South Carolina. He writes regularly for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the S.C. Daily Gazette, Classical Voice North America, ArtsATL and other publications. Readers may write to him at paulhydeus@yahoo.com.