Ravel plays Ravel
Not to labour the point about the correct pace for a Pavane which I made here and here, here’s a piano roll of Maurice Ravel playing a solo version the piece of which I heard the orchestral version last week, Pavane pour une infante défunte. Piano rolls are still being made, by the way. One feature that distinguishes them from other recording formats is that you can vary the tempo without changing the pitch. If you play a vinyl record faster then the pitch goes up. On a piano roll you always get the right notes. To be sure that this is the original tempo you would need to establish that it’s being played at the same speed as it was recorded. If that is the case, it’s definitely a bit faster than most versions I’ve heard – and (in my opinion) none the worse for that. Aside from the tempo, it’s interesting how he approaches the piece, emphasizing the harmony far more than the melody.
In the Dark 
March 15, 2025 at 7:51 pm
It’s certainly faster than the crotchets = 54 in my Schott edition but, as you say, it works (as you’d expect, given who’s playing it). I’ve no idea how the speed of piano rolls was determined in the day – presumably some kind of clockwork machinery but without the intrusive tick. Have to look it up some time.
March 16, 2025 at 6:58 pm
This piece has frustrated me for years, with so many leaden performances. I always thought it was a portrait of the princess’s innocent grace, needing a flowing tempo. It’s great to hear that supplied by the ultimate authority. Actually, I could take the opening even faster, which leaves scope for just a touch more space in the reprise.
March 16, 2025 at 7:02 pm
Yes, a Pavane is meant to be a dance not a dirge. Ravel himself is reported to have said “It’s the Princess who is supposed to be dead, not the Pavane”.
March 16, 2025 at 9:47 pm
Another interesting question is how the digital audio player in the browser also lets you change the tempo without changing the tuning.