The original ballet production employs a chorus of men's and women's voices, but since it merely doubles the instrumental parts in intoned choral chanting and uses no words, the chorus is customarily omitted in the symphonic performances.

The sections are easily discernible by the change of themes and moods. Of course, being a ballet, the music does not actually stop between these sections they are all connected by transition sections and by the lack ot authentic cadences. The second suite of the ballet, the one chosen to be analyzed in this treatise, is divided into three sections: Lever de Jour, or Dawn, Pantomime, and Danse Generale. However, in its symphonic form as two orchestral suites, it has become a masterpiece heard and appreciated all over the world. Daphnis and Chloe, as a ballet, was not a sensational success. Unfortunately, the differences of opinion about stage-settings and interpretation and the inability of the chorus and the corps de ballet to master all of their parts had their effect. After readjusting the libretto to fit the temperaments of both the Russian choreographer and of the French composer himself, Ravel started to work on the score in March, 1910.Īfter long preparation and extreme care, the first performance of Daphnis and Chloe was given on June 8, 1912, at the Chatelet Theatre, with Pierre Monteux conducting. This type of musical expression was extremely well suited to Ravel's colorful and rhythmic style, and he eagerly accepted the commission. In 1910, Maurice Ravel was commissioned by Sergei Diaghileff, brillant and talented director of the Russian Ballet, to write a ballet on the Greek legend of Daphnis and Chloe. Thesis (M.M.)-University of Rochester, 1944. Harmonic analysis of Ravel's Daphnis and Chloe suite no. Eastman School of Music - Sibley Music Library >

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