Thanks to two successful performances (including the world premiere) of L’Ours Chinois, I’ve had a number of inquiries as to what the specific influences of composer Maurice Ravel are, in regards to the formation of exotica — and particularly, my piece “L’ours Chinois.”

Without a doubt, one of the easiest ways to answer this question is the obvious use of Ravel’s faux Orientalist melodies. Quite often, he would write material that used pentatonic/modal scales that are commonly used by Chinese and Japanese traditional songs. To buttress these melodies, he would harmonize them using seventh and ninth chords; particularly of the Major 7 and minor-Major 7 variety.

Even a cursory comparison of the String Quartet in F Major and a tune like Les Baxter’s “Jungle River Boat” can quickly turn heads of unassuming listeners. I conducted an experiment this weekend, when carousing with my colleagues in Project Copernicus: I played a few short snippets of Martin Denny and Les Baxter recordings, and asked them to name what composers came immediately to mind. Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy were among the most frequently cited.

Further parallels can be found when examining instrumentation and orchestration techniques. Ravel chose Western instruments that could mimic those found in other civilizations; such as the epic flute solo in the second Daphnis and Chloe suite. Through the usage of the middle and low ranges of that instrument, he was able to paint tone colors different from what his contemporaries were using. Flute in its low register is commonly found in exotica, particularly through the uses of the Alto Flute.

… To be continued … (I’m at the airport and need to pack up my computer, sorry!)