The combination of Stéphane Mallarmé's esoteric poetry and Maurice
Ravel's elusive tonal language presents a multitude of methodological
problems for both analysts and performers attempting to study the Trois
poèmes de Stéphane Mallarmé (1913). While extant analyses of these songs
draw on pitch content to make observations about Ravel's interpretation
of the text, they fail to consider the fundamental structural importance
of Mallarmé's poetry. In his autobiographical sketch, Ravel noted that
Mallarmé's "préciosité so full of meaning" inspired him to compose the
Trois poèmes. By using the archaic French word préciosité, which carries
significant literary connotations, Ravel suggests that his understanding
of Mallarmé's préciosité served as the compositional impetus for these
songs. After establishing Ravel's life-long affinity for Mallarmé's
Symbolist structures and formal improprieties, this book will present a
detailed analysis of "Soupir" and "Placet futile." Both scholars and
performers can benefit from these analyses, as they provide insight into
the complex structures and symbolic content in Ravel's composition.