Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937). Autograph musical manuscript, Con - Lot 44

Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937). Autograph musical manuscript, Concerto pour la main gauche; 2 oblong pages recto-verso (27 x 34.5 cm). Beginning of the famous Concerto for the Left Hand. Commissioned by pianist Paul Wittgenstein (1887-1961), whose right arm had been amputated in the 14-18 war, it was premiered by him in Vienna on January 5, 1932. This is the beginning of the manuscript of the solo piano with the orchestral reduction for a second piano, in preparation for the publication of the score by Durand in 1937. This sheet, in black ink on 12-line oblong paper, presents the 30 measures of the orchestral introduction Lento, followed by the beginning of the solo piano cadenza "a piaccere" with its groups of triple and quadruple eighth notes. This is an early version that was not retained: at bar 5 after 3, the rhythm changes from 2/4 to 3/4 (this change does not appear in the edited version). Underneath this careful black-ink layout, an initial pencil sketch can sometimes be seen. At the top of the first page, Ravel has written the dedication "à Paul Wittgenstein", and the title "Concerto pour la main gauche".