Charles Ravier (5 June 1934 – 5 March 1984) was a 20th-century French composer, music director and

choral conductor Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance, such as an orchestral or choral concert. It has been defined as "the art of directing the simultaneous performance of several players or singers by the use of gesture." The primary duties ...

Biography

Born in

Savigny-sur-Grosne Savigny-sur-Grosne (, literally ''Savigny on Grosne'') is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France. The composer and choral conductor Charles Ravier (1934–1984) was born in Savign ...

in Saône-et-Loire, Charles Ravier first studied the violin, then entered the

conservatoire de Lyon A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger ins ...

where in won prizes in harmony, counterpoint and fugue. He was interested in

polyphonic music Polyphony ( ) is a type of musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to a musical texture with just one voice, monophony, or a texture with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords, h ...

, and particularly in the early repertoire of the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

in the 17th century. At the end of the 1950s, he formed the Ensemble Polyphonique de la RTF, and performed with this group the music by Guillaume de Machaut,

Clément Janequin Clément Janequin (c. 1485 – 1558) was a French composer of the Renaissance. He was one of the most famous composers of popular chansons of the entire Renaissance, and along with Claudin de Sermisy, was hugely influential in the development o ...

, Gesualdo, Claudio Monteverdi among others. Interested in the works of

Safford Cape Safford Cape (28 June 1906 - 26 March 1973) was an American conductor, composer and musicologist. Born and educated in Denver, Colorado, Cape moved to Belgium in 1925 to further his studies in composition and musicology. From 1933, after a few yea ...

, he chose to have the vocal pieces of the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...

, and mainly the songs of the 16th century, interpreted by one voice per vocal part.''Charles Ravier et le Quatuor Danois''
on Qobuz As a composer he is the author of the pieces ''Les Espaces oubliés'', ''Les chemins de l'imaginaire'', ''L'Apocalypse d'Angers'', and ''Liturgie pour un Dieu mort'' ( cantata). He also premiered contemporary works by Girolamo ArrigoGirolamo Arrigo
on musicsalesclassical and

Sylvano Bussotti Sylvano Bussotti (1 October 1931 – 19 September 2021) was an Italian composer of contemporary classical music, also a painter, set and costume designer, opera director and manager, writer and academic teacher. His compositions employ graphic n ...

. He died in Paris as a result of suicide by jumping.

Bibliography

* Alain Pâris, notice "Charles Ravier" i
''Dictionnaire des interprètes et de l'interprétation musicale''

Éditions Robert Laffont Éditions Robert Laffont is a book publishing company in France founded in 1941 by Robert Laffont. Its publications are distributed in almost all francophone countries, but mainly in France, Canada and in Belgium. It is considered one of the most ...

, series "Bouquin" 1989.

References

External links

Charles Ravier's discography
on Discogs
Charles Ravier, Ensemble Polyphonique Of The French National Radio
on Discogs
CLÉMENT JANEQUIN "Guillot ung jour" Attaingnant , 1540
direction Charles Ravier on YouTube
Charles Ravier
on IdRef
Charles Ravier
on data.bnf.fr {{DEFAULTSORT:Ravier, Charles 1934 births 1984 deaths People from Saône-et-Loire French choral conductors French male conductors (music) 20th-century French composers Suicides by jumping in France 20th-century French conductors (music) 20th-century French male musicians