Mother Goose (Ma Mere l'Oye): Prelude et Danse du Rouet Cover Image

Mother Goose (Ma Mere l'Oye): Prelude et Danse du Rouet: Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works, Conductor Score & Parts (EDWIN F KALMUS)

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Mother Goose (Ma Mere l'Oye): Prelude et Danse du Rouet Cover Image
Mother Goose (Ma Mere l'Oye): Prelude et Danse du Rouet: Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works, Conductor Score & Parts (EDWIN F KALMUS)

Mother Goose (Ma Mere l'Oye): Prelude et Danse du Rouet: Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works, Conductor Score & Parts (EDWIN F KALMUS)

By Maurice Ravel, ed./arr. Clinton F. Nieweg

Item: 36-A639302
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Mother Goose (Ma Mere l'Oye): Prelude et Danse du Rouet: Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works, Conductor Score (EDWIN F KALMUS)

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Description
Maurice Ravel's (1875-1937) Ma mère l'Oye ("Mother Goose") draws its inspiration from the fairy tales of Charles Perrault, Madame d'Aulnoy, and Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont. Ravel composed the first movement "Pavane de la Belle au Bois Dormant" in September of 1908, and after some encouragement from his publisher Jacques Durand, the remaining four movements were added between 1908 and 1910. The piece sought to both be performable by children and also to reflect the world of childhood. Dedicated to the two children of his friends the Godebskis, Ravel intended for them to premier the piece. However, when the piece proved too difficult for the pair, it was instead premiered at a concert in the Salle Gaveau in 1910 by 11-year old pianist Jeanne Leleu and 14-year old Geneviève Durony. In 1911, Ravel wrote an orchestral version of the suite, which became the basis of the ballet which was performed in January 1912. The Prélude et Danse du rouet et scène are te first two movements of the ballet. Instrumentation: 2(2nd dPicc).2(2nd dEH).2.2: 2.0.0.0: Timp.Perc(6): Hp.Clst: Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set).

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Additional Details
Series: Nieweg Performance Editions - Kalmus
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
UPC: 676737819224
SKU: 36-A639302
Instrumentation: 2(2nd dPicc).2(2nd dEH).2.2: 2.0.0.0: Timp.Perc(6): Hp.Clst: Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set)

More about this title

About the Composer: Maurice Ravel

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) was a French composer whose fastidious orchestrations and harmonic innovations defined early twentieth-century modernism. Though often grouped with Debussy, Ravel pursued a more structured approach to composition, combining impressionistic color with classical forms and meticulous craftsmanship. His orchestral works remain cornerstones of the concert repertoire, prized for their technical brilliance and imaginative instrumental writing.

Ravel's gift for orchestration made him a natural choice to adapt his own works for larger ensembles, and Ma mère l'Oye exemplifies this skill. What began as a piano duet for children evolved into a richly scored ballet, demonstrating his belief that music for young performers need not sacrifice sophistication.

Why we love this

Ravel's orchestration in these opening movements sparkles with color and restraint. The Prélude unfolds with transparent textures that let every instrumental voice shine, while the Danse du rouet crackles with rhythmic vitality and clever doublings. Conductors appreciate how the writing sits well for orchestras of varying sizes, and audiences respond immediately to music that feels both whimsical and utterly refined.

What to expect

The Prélude drifts into a storybook world of hushed wonder, with delicate instrumental washes evoking enchantment and slumber. The Danse du rouet then leaps into motion with playful energy and glittering rhythms, spinning like a fairy tale brought to life through Ravel's crystalline orchestration.

Who it's for

Orchestras with intermediate to advanced capabilities will find these movements accessible without sacrificing artistic reward. The part writing accommodates flexible string sections (the score suggests 9-8-7-6-5), making it viable for youth orchestras, college ensembles, and regional orchestras seeking repertoire that impresses audiences without requiring virtuosic soloists.

How to get the most out of it

  • Shape the Prélude's opening harp and clarinet dialogue with genuine conversation between timbres; avoid rushing the quiet passages, which reveal harmonic shifts only in stillness.
  • In the Danse du rouet, lock the percussion section (timpani, xylophone, and wood block) on the recurring rhythmic motif before rehearsing it with full strings, ensuring precision without driving.
  • Use exposed woodwind passages as opportunities for blend rather than individual display; Ravel expects these voices to merge into unified color, not to stand apart.
  • Balance the harp's role carefully. It provides harmonic foundation and rhythmic anchor, not decorative shimmer; the ensemble must listen to its pulse.

How to use it

Program these two movements as a suite in family concerts, children's matinees, or pops programs where they bridge serious and approachable repertoire. They work especially well alongside other twentieth-century works for orchestra or as a complete performance of the full five-movement ballet suite if your season supports a longer, thematically unified program.

Skills your students will build

  • Listening across multiple instrumental families while maintaining ensemble cohesion
  • Balancing transparent textures where no voice drowns another
  • Executing precise rhythmic attacks in duple and triple meters simultaneously
  • Reading Ravel's idiomatic instrumental writing (xylophone, harp, and percussion color)
  • Shaping lyrical phrases through dynamic subtlety rather than dramatic contrast

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