La Vallée des Cloches

Maurice Ravel

The title of this work translates from the French as "The Valley of Bells."

General Info

Year: 1905 / 1981
Duration: c. 5:15
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Piano
Publisher: Ludwig-Masters Publications
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $55.00 | Score Only (print) - $15.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II-III
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon (optional)
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III-IV
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Flugelhorn I-II
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Harp (or Piano)
Celesta and/or Piano
Timpani
Percussion, including:

Chimes
Orchestra Chimes
Suspended Cymbal
Tam-Tam
Triangle
Vibraphone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

La Vallée des Cloches is the fifth movement of Maurice Ravel's Miroirs, a suite for solo piano. The movement, dedicated to composer and pianist Maurice Delage (1879-1961), evokes the sounds of various bells through its use of sonorous harmonies.

This arrangement is expertly orchestrated for wind band, allowing new colors while maintaining the striking harmonic elements characteristic of the composer. The opening, faithful to Impressionist Ravel, strives to provide a timeless floating quality while encased in a formal rhythmic structure. Above all, the intention is to keep the ensemble light and fluid rather than ponderous.

- Program Note from publisher and Wikipedia

Media

Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

Florida: VI
Louisiana: V
Virginia: V

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Santa Clara (Calif.) University Wind Ensemble (Anthony Rivera, conductor) - 16 November 2017
Eastman School of Music (Rochester, N.Y.) Wind Ensemble and Wind Ensemble (Mark Scatterday, conductor) – 6 October 2016
University of Kansas (Lawrence) Symphonic Band (Benjamin Harper, conductor)] – 10 March 2015
New World School of the Arts Wind Ensemble (Miami, Fla.) (Lee Michael Morrison, conductor) – 2011

Works for Winds by This Composer

Bolero (arr. Bocook) (1928/2003)
Bolero (arr. Zappa; tr. Howell) (1928/2020)
Bolero (arr. Iwai) (1928/1982)
Bolero (tr. Rogers) (1928/)
Bolero (arr. Sparke) (1928/2011)
Bolero (tr. Tamanini) (1928/2011)
Daphnis et Chloe, Suite No. 2 (tr. Hindsley) (1912/)
Daphnis et Chloe, Suite No. 2 (tr. Patterson) (1912/2015)
Daphnis et Chloe, Suite No. 2 (tr. Sato) (1912/1999)
The Enchanted Garden (arr. Thornton) (1908/1991)
Entre Cloches (arr. Di Scala) (1897/2012)
Excerpts from "Mother Goose Suite" (arr. Turner) (1910/2010)
La Vallée des Cloches (tr. Hunsberger) (1905/1981)
La Valse (tr. Kreines) (1920/2005)
La Valse (tr. Patterson) (1920/)
Laideronnette: Impératrice des Pagodes (arr. Beck) (1910/2013)
Le Tombeau de Couperin (arr. Amano) (1914-1917/2002)
Mother Goose Suite (tr. Frey) (1901/2018)
Lone Star Rhapsody
Pavane (tr. Binney) (1899/2020)
Pavane (arr. de Meij) (1899/1991)
Pavane (arr. Story) (1899/2015)
Pavane pour une infante défunte (arr. Egli) (1899/1990)
Pavane pour une infante défunte (orch. Kimura) (1899/1991)
Pavane pour une infante défunte (tr. Hindsley) (1899/197-?)
Pavane pour une infante défunte (tr. Lauf) (1899/2013)
Pavane pour une infante défunte (arr. Thornton) (1899/1966)
Pavane for a Dead Princess (orch. Reed; ed. McAlister) (1899/1988)
Piano Trio in A minor (arr. Takagi) (1914/2011)
Rapsodie Espagnole (arr. Morita) (1907-1908/1999)
Scarbo (arr. Amano) (1908/2000)
String Quartet in F (arr. Primatic) (1902-1903/2013)

Resources

Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music. "Maurice Ravel." Accessed 8 September 2016.
Miroirs, Wikipedia Accessed 8 September 2016
Ravel, M.; Hunsberger, D. (1981). La Vallée des Cloches = The Valley of the Bells : From "Miroirs" 1905 [score]. Ludwig Music Pub.: Cleveland, Ohio.