Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

The two 'Jeux d'eau' pieces by Maurice Ravel and Franz Liszt have much in common. Ravel dedicated his 'Jeaux d'eau' (1911) to his friend Gabriel Fauré, but was inspired by the Liszt 'Les jeux d'eau à la Villa d'Este' from the 3rd volume 'Anneés de Pélerinage'. In Ravel's piece the gods of the rivers are laughing about the water which is tickling. Ravel makes the water roar, undulate, twinkle and sparkle. In Liszt we find a related theme: Water as the Source of Eternal Life, after a Biblical quote from John. The many fountains, pools, cascades and brooks near the Villa d'Este in Tivoli are even today an exciting touristic attraction. Liszt depicts these in a brilliant virtuoso style, which makes one easily stray off from the water towards the Magnitude of the Creation. Both works form a rich source of both harmonical and pianotechnical inventions.