Ravel in New York

4 – 8 January 1928

On 4 January Ravel arrived in New York on the liner “France”, to be met by a welcoming party including the French Consul General and E. Robert Schmitz, President of the Pro Musica Society and motivating force behind the composer’s visit. (New York Times, 5 January 1928, p.5). Ravel was installed at the Langdon Hotel where he was immediately caught up in a succession of interviews, invitations and visits which left him scarcely any time to practise at the piano. He described his first day in a letter to his brother:

“Mon séjour à New York (4 jours qui m’ont semblé durer 4 mois) ne m’a même pas permis de travailler un peu le piano: aussitôt installé à l’Hôtel Langdon, un petit hôtel de rien du tout qui n’a que 12 étages (j’étais au 8^e) et délicieusement installé (tout un appartment) le téléphone n’arrêtait pas. A chaque moment, on m’apportait des corbeilles de fleurs, de fruits les plus délicieux du monde. Répétitions, équipes de journalistes (photos, cinémas, caricaturistes) se relayant d’heure en heure, lettres, invitations, auxquelles mon manager répond pour moi, réceptions. Le soir, repos: dancings, théâtres nègres, cinémas géants, etc. Je connais à peine le New York de jour, enfermé dans des taxis pour aller à des rendez-vous de toutes sortes. J’ai même tourné un film, avec un maquillage de 2 centimètres…” (Orenstein [1989] p.256).

He stayed in New York until 8 January when, after attending a concert of his works at Carnegie Hall, he left, still in his evening dress, to catch the train to Boston for his own first performances. (Orenstein [1989] p.256).

15 January 1928

After spending nearly a week in Boston, Ravel was back in New York on 15 January for his first performance there, a recital at the Gallo Theater in which he was joined by the singer Greta Torpadie, the violinist Joseph Szigeti, and the Quatuor Hart House from Toronto. 

The concert “was sold out, the prices for seats ranging as high as five dollars. Several hundred persons had to be turned away from the box office”. (Musical Courier, 19 January 1928, p.37**). Ravel himself was pleased with the reception: “Le concert à New York a bien marché. Articles élogieux quelquefois des pages entières. Seul le journal français de N.Y. ne parle pas de moi”. (Orenstein [1989] letter 291).

The New York critics were generally more appreciative of the composer’s presence that of his performance. Some blame was attached to the venue, inadequate in size and acoustics, but in Ravel’s own contributions, it was recognised that he was not a virtuoso performer nor necessarily the best advocate of his own works. “What he did was to distinguish the concert with his presence, and, as a pianist, to present clear expositions of his music.” (Olin Downes, in New York Times, 16 January 1928, p.25**).

After the concert a reception was given in Ravel’s honour by Mr & Mrs William May Wright (a stock broker and his wife who was a former singer) at their Madison Avenue apartment. Among the guests were Fritz Kreisler, Edgard Varèse, Béla Bartók and George Gershwin. At Ravel’s request the entertainment included a programme of danses and spirituals performed by black artists.

26 February 1928

Ravel was back in New York for a recital on 26 February at the Century Theater on 62nd Street where he performed alongside the singer Lisa Roma and the pianist E. Robert Schmitz who was the originator of his American tour. 

While the occasion was again well-attended, the critics were less in awe than previously in the presence of the composer. “The vocal numbers … left the pulse unmoved… The composer himself appeared to regard his piano playing with little seriousness”, said one (Richard L. Stokes, New York Evening World, 27 February 1928, p.15**). For another, “the silver-haired little man … did his modest best” (New York Sun, 27 February 1928, p.17**). Olin Downes however noted that after several weeks of touring, Ravel “played yesterday with a color and degree of technique that he did not show when he made his American debut” (New York Times, 27 February 1928, sect.16, p.14**).

It was also noted by some that the man who turned the pages for Ravel’s piano contributions on this occasion was the composer Edgard Varèse.

7 – 12 March 1928

Ravel may have remained in New York after his recital on 26 February and no other engagements are recorded until 7 March which marked his 53rd birthday. This was celebrated with a dinner given for him by the Canadian soprano Éva Gauthier, who recalled the occasion in an article published after Ravel’s death. The menu consisted of all the things Ravel liked best, especially red meat which he preferred almost raw, complaining that in America all the meat was over-cooked. One of the guests was George Gershwin whom Ravel had expressed the desire to meet and to hear play Rhapsody in Blue and other pieces. Gershwin was in outstanding form, playing with such rhythmic complexity that Ravel was overwhelmed. (“Reminiscences of Maurice Ravel”, in New York Times, 16 January 1938, p.158.)

On the following afternoon Ravel made his first appearance as a conductor in New York at Carnegie Hall, with the New York Symphony Orchestra and Samuel Dushkin as violin soloist. 

Press reports of the occasion were agreed in finding little to recommend in Ravel’s conducting skills and were obliged to redeem their criticisms by noting the enthusiastic reponse of the large audience. But the performance of Rapsodie espagnole was apparently on the edge of collapse several times, and the soloist in Tzigane faced new difficulties from the accompaniment in a piece that is already difficult enough (reports in Dunfee, [1980] p.125-129).

On 11 March the same concert was repeated at the Mecca Temple auditorium, and the performance seems to have been far more successful, even producing a standing ovation for the Rapsodie espagnole (New York Times, 12 March 1928, p.27**).

Before leaving New York to resume his tour in Kansas City, Ravel further explored his interest in jazz by making a visit to the Liederkranz Hall to hear Paul Whiteman and his orchestra in a recording session with Bix Beiderbecke (for “When”). A photograph records the occasion (in Thomas A. DeLong, Pops, Paul Whiteman, King of Jazz. Piscataway, 1983).

April 1928

Ravel was travelling for most of his final month in America, but he made some brief returns to New York: for three days 30 March-1 April, then for five hours on 3 April between Boston and the train to New Orleans, and then again after his last American concert in Buffalo (17 April) and after his final engagement in Montréal (19 April).

On 21 April Ravel embarked for a midnight departure on the liner “Paris” which would arrive at Le Havre on 27 April. (Orenstein [1989] letter 298).

(** as quoted in Dunfee [1980] pp.112-129, 156-157.)