It is probably my intense admiration for Ravel the composer that causes my subconscious to blue-pencil my memories of Ravel the pianist! As a wag put it on seeing Salzedo, master-harpist and excellent pianist to boot, officiating as page-turner to Ravel: “What a pity it isn’t the other way round: Salzedo at the keyboard and Ravel turning pages!”/ Ravel was somewhat nonchalant about his piano-playing; “unconcerned” might better described his attitude. It was the confidence of the creative artist that determined his stand with respect to our task. It was as if he said: “What of it, whether we play it a little better, or in a less polished and brilliant fashion? The work is set down, in its definitive form, and that is all that really matters.”/ The Sonata bears the eloquent dates “1923-27”: it took the master four years to complete it. The duo for violin and violoncello, which Piatigorsky and I played at our “piano-less” recitals in Berlin and Fraknfurt- ce bougre de Duo,” as Ravel called it- cost him almost eighteen months of travail. / So the rehearsal did not really absorb us inordinately-as it always does, and should, when virtuosi are ben on producing a perfect ensemble performance: we both realized the limits within which we would have to plan our performance- for better or worse- and thus I was free to indulge in one of my busman’s holidays. << less