Hyperion Records

The two Marot settings of 1896 and 1899 testify to Ravel's love of the eighteenth century and its embrace of civilized order. In fact, though, in D’Anne jouant de l’espinette he subverts the order of the eight iambic pentameters with phrasing in 5/4 time, and in the later companion piece goes further, including some in 7/4. In the joint edition, he transposed the order of the two songs so that the first begins and ends in G sharp minor, while the second begins in C sharp minor but modulates back to G sharp minor, producing a more satisfactory tonal shape.

from notes by Roger Nichols © 2009