Did Maurice Ravel really have Alzheimer's?

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Scientists suggest that Maurice Ravel may have been suffering from Alzheimer's disease during the composition of Boléro, citing the repetitive nature of the piece as indicative of 'perseverance', a common symptom of the condition. However, Ravel himself described Boléro as an experiment in orchestral texture, emphasizing its lack of musical contrasts and invention. Critics argue that attributing his compositional style solely to Alzheimer's is overly simplistic, noting that repetitive patterns can also be found in various musical forms and do not necessarily indicate a mental disorder. Additionally, definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer's can only occur posthumously through brain examination, raising questions about the validity of conclusions drawn from a single composition. The discussion also touches on personal opinions about Boléro's musical value and humor related to Ravel's legacy.
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Can scientists accurately determine Ravel's condition based on one musical composition? I hope they were relying on more than just that.

Maurice Ravel was in all likelihood suffering from Alzheimer's disease at the time of his composition of Boléro, as deduced by scientists after they found evidence of 'perseverance', a characteristic feature of patients with Alzheimer's, in Boléro, which is the repetitive notes we hear.
http://hercules.gcsu.edu/~hedmonds/lecture notes/CLASSICAL MUSIC.html

HOWEVER

In "M. Ravel discusses his own work: The Boléro explained", The Daily Telegraph, 1931-07-11, he is quoted:

It constitutes an experiment in a very special and limited direction, and should not be suspected of aiming at achieving anything different from, or anything more than, it actually does achieve. Before its first performance, I issued a warning to the effect that what I had written was a piece lasting seventeen minutes and consisting wholly of "orchestral tissue without music" -- of one very long, gradual crescendo. There are no contrasts, and practically no invention except the plan and the manner of execution.
http://books.google.com/books?id=lF...sic"&as_brr=3&sig=eN3yDGokAkJr_1fU1jghaxq8tQs
From A Ravel Reader: Correspondence, Articles, Interviews; Compiled and edited by Arbie Orenstein

I like this author's take on it:

Ravel died of a brain tumor and some recent investigations by a British doctor indicate that he suffered from Alzheimer disease because "...the famous melody repeated 18 times without change during the course of the piece demonstrates that the French composer was possibly succumbing to Alzheimer's disease. Perseveration, an obsession with repeating words and gestures, is one of the more notable symptoms of this pathology"... Now, with all due respect, with that type of approach, we have to assert that Pachelbel's Canon is a Mental institution case, not to mention most music with variations...
http://www.mangore.com/bolero_ravel.html
 
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Boléro is a great song.
 
hmmm..that seems like a big leap. I was told in my last neuroscience class that Alzheimer's can only be definitively diagnosed in an autopsy. They need to examine ratios of plaques and tangles in the brain (we all have them) compared with normal brain tissue. Unless they had Ravel's actual brain to examine, it seems unlikely that they could draw a strong conclusion about this.

The preference for repetitive patterns could indicate various disorders, including schizophrenia, OCD, autism, or of course, the disruptive position of his fatal brain tumor. Or it could be simply due to the fact that he was a gifted musician who enjoyed (and recognized the enjoyment of others in) repetitive patterns in music. If he died at 62, that seems a smidge early to be indicating Alzheimers, but not completely out of the question. I know that the risk of Alzheimers doubles every year after 65, but I don't know what the rate is around the age that Ravel expired.
 
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cyrusabdollahi said:
Boléro is a great song.
The work is interesting for the first couple of minutes. After that, it's the same thing getting louder and louder for the next ten minutes. :biggrin:
 
I listened to a six minute version and it just didn't sound as good.
 
I was never very impressed with Bolero. Kinda boring, IMHO. My favorite piece by Ravel is the "Pavane pour une infante défunte".
 
Math Is Hard said:
They need to examine ... tangles in the brain ...
They have to unravel Ravel? You know he's been decomposing for about 70 years now!

Bolero is only fun if it comes with Bo.
 
Gokul43201 said:
They have to unravel Ravel? You know he's been decomposing for about 70 years now!

:smile: :smile: :smile:

ay yi yi
 
You know he's been decomposing for about 70 years now!

Is that the most popular Monty Python Joke? I see it wherever there is a discussion on dead composers.

Bolero is only fun if it comes with Bo.

:smile:
 

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