Adventures in Tonal Gravity: George Russell’s Analysis of Maurice Ravel’s “Forlane”

Abstract

Abstract George Russell conceptualized his Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization as a theory of tonality. He includes an analysis of the opening of Maurice Ravel’s “Forlane” from Le Tombeau de Couperin in the fourth and final edition of his text to demonstrate what his theory—“The Concept”—offers for the analysis of Western art music. This article takes Russell’s claim seriously, discusses The Concept as a theory of tonality, and extends Russell’s analysis to the entirety of “Forlane.” I also connect Russell’s work to broader Black cultural practices and their socio-political resonances.