Influences

In the early years of the 20th Century, Ravel wrote his piano suite ‘Gaspard De La Nuit’ which is widely regarded as being one of the most difficult piano pieces ever composed, especially this movement ‘Scarbo’ which you can see and hear on this YouTube clip.

Based on a rather bleak poem by Aloysius Bertrand, it deals with seduction, death and strange fiends that come in the night and scare you to pieces.

Ivo Pogorelich does a pretty good job of it in this clip.