Description
nitially labeled merely as “Sérénade” in the manuscript, and later more specifically identified as “Sérénade grotesque” in the composer’s subsequent autobiography, this piece is Ravel’s first recognized piano work. It was likely composed in 1893 and went unpublished throughout his life. Ravel noted the impact of composer Emmanuel Chabrier, whom he esteemed all his life, which is evident in the strange turns. Nonetheless, personal characteristics like dissonant harshness or the Pizzicatissimo in the opening are noticeable, indicating Ravel's later style. Consequently, the technically uncomplicated “Sérénade grotesque” serves as an excellent entry point into Ravel’s piano universe – particularly because Cédric Tiberghien, a genuine expert on Ravel’s piano works, handled the fingerings.
