Classics Explained: RAVEL - Bolero and Ma Mere l'oye (Smillie)

Format:

Sound recording

Contributor:

Ravel, Maurice, 1875-1937, Composer.

Naxos Digital Services US.

Series:

Naxos Spoken Word Library.

Naxos Spoken Word Library

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Spoken Word.

Local Subjects:

Spoken Word.

Genre:

Video recordings.

Sound recordings.

Physical Description:

1 online resource.

Place of Publication:

Hong Kong : Naxos Digital Services US Incorporated, 2001.

System Details:

Mode of access: Available online.

Contents:

Bolero-Introduction; cue to unadorned Bolero rhythm, Part 1 ( 02 min., 29 sec. ) / Ravel

Bolero rhythm, Part 2: an extended variation of Part 1 ( 07 sec. ) / Ravel

' Motto ' rhythm complete ( 21 sec. ) / Ravel

But here we have snare drums and plucked violas and cellos ( 22 sec. ) / Ravel

Section 1: Introduction of ' the theme ' by solo flute ( 37 sec. ) / Ravel

Flute continues with Part 2 of theme ( 48 sec. ) / Ravel

Section 2: Complete statement of theme by clarinet as flute joins ' motto ' group ( 01 min., 30 sec. ) / Ravel

Introduction of ' discordant ' harp into the unfolding picture ( 18 sec. ) / Ravel

Section 3: Bassoon introduces closely related variant of theme ( 34 sec. ) / Ravel

...but then veers upwards, slowing rhythm and introducing new syncopation ( 59 sec. ) / Ravel

Section 4: ' Petite ' E flat clainet takes over theme, including variants ( 01 min., 21 sec. ) / Ravel

Section 5: Oboe d'amore takes over theme but returns to its original form ( 01 min., 34 sec. ) / Ravel

Section 6: Theme now shared by two instruments: uted trumpet and flute ( 01 min., 16 sec. ) / Ravel

Section 7: Tenor saxophone takes Theme as trumpet replaces horn in ' motto ' ( 01 min., 39 sec. ) / Ravel

Section 8: Theme taken by soprano saxphone, ' espressivo ' ( 01 min., 09 sec. ) / Ravel

Section 9: Theme: celeste, piccolos and horn; Motto: flute and French horn ( 01 min., 24 sec. ) / Ravel

Section 10: Theme: Oboes, horns, clarinets; Motto: plucked violas and violins ( 02 min., 06 sec. ) / Ravel

Section 11: Theme taken by First Trombone, complete with jazzy slides ( 01 min., 40 sec. ) / Ravel

Section 12: Theme: flutes, oboes, clarinets, sax; Motto: bassoons, horns, trumpets ( 01 min., 13 sec. ) / Ravel

Section 13: Violins at last take the main tune, joining massed winds ( 01 min., 14 sec. ) / Ravel

Section 14: Violins divide into four groups, each ' double-stopping ' ( 01 min., 04 sec. ) / Ravel

Section 15: Trumpet, trombone 2 and tuba join the foreground ( 01 min., 18 sec. ) / Ravel

Section 16: First trombone and soprano saxophone ' rejoin ' theme ( 56 sec. ) / Ravel

Section 17: Fortissimo; all strings ' double-stopping '; trumpets added ( 01 min., 26 sec. ) / Ravel

Section 18: Entire orchestra now employed, ' as loudly as possible ' ( 01 min., 18 sec. ) / Ravel

Section 19: Sudden, amazing change of key, lurching from C to E Major ( 01 min., 20 sec. ) / Ravel

Section 20: Key now lurches back to C, as jazzy trombones whiningly protest ( 36 sec. ) / Ravel

Cue to complete performance ( 20 sec. ) / Ravel

Bolero (complete) ( 16 min., 16 sec. ) / Ravel

Pavane de la Belle au bois dormant-Opening figure on flute; rising, falling, and then reeated ( 01 min., 04 sec. ) / Ravel

Same again, with emphasis on delicacy of scoring ( 30 sec. ) / Ravel

answering variant, accompanied by plucked double basses ( 19 sec. ) / Ravel

Reminder of opening figure ( 18 sec. ) / Ravel

... and now its rhythmical mirror image, or almost... ( 12 sec. ) / Ravel

Answering Phrase 2: a near-inversion, over ' James Bond ' accompaniment ( 41 sec. ) / Ravel

Pivotal Phrase 3, reversing direction but keeping rhythm of Phrase 2 ( 46 sec. ) / Ravel

Reprise of Phrases 1 and 2, but with new accompaniment ( 39 sec. ) / Ravel

Further Reprise of Phrase 2, now on violin, accompanied by harp ( 40 sec. ) / Ravel

Pavane (complete) ( 01 min., 41 sec. ) / Ravel

Petit Poucet (Tom Thumb)-Introduction; Opening, with multi-metre rising scales from muted violins ( 49 sec. ) / Ravel

Change of metre continue as solo oboe introduces Theme One ( 24 sec. ) / Ravel

Oboe yields to Cor Anglais for Theme Two, against lower (still muted) strings ( 44 sec. ) / Ravel

Theme One returns, shared by clarinet and flute, muted horn added to accompaniment ( 25 sec. ) / Ravel

'Motto' rhythm dominates as intensity increases from lower strings to full orchestra ( 46 sec. ) / Ravel

Fear subsides as Theme Two returns, again in Cor Anglais but now in a different key ( 32 sec. ) / Ravel

Sensational sound effects evoke a wood at night, with screeches, cuckooing et cetera ( 44 sec. ) / Ravel

Texture thins; Theme one returns, delicately scored for strings and piccolo ( 19 sec. ) / Ravel

The main part of movement ends, with waltz-like march(!), featuring flute ( 28 sec. ) / Ravel

Petit Poucet (complete) ( 03 min., 28 sec. ) / Ravel

Laideronnette, Imperatrice des Pagodes-Introduction; opening bars, followed by Theme One ( 02 min. ) / Ravel

Oriental-orchestral equivalent of an imprial telephone bell ( 15 sec. ) / Ravel

... oboe ' answers ' with a very slightly varied version of Theme One ( 15 sec. ) / Ravel

Expanded derivative of the ' telephone bell ' interrupts the theme again ( 01 min. ) / Ravel

Fragments of theme in flutes and cor anglais, with ' James Bond ' tag in violins ( 24 sec. ) / Ravel

'Gamelan ' music from flute and piccolo, accompanied by harp, xylophone and strings ( 32 sec. ) / Ravel

arrival of Empress; upper strings yield to winds, celeste, harp and (very discreet) gong ( 47 sec. ) / Ravel

Laideronnette, Imperatrice des Pagodes (complete) ( 03 min., 57 sec. ) / Ravel

Les entretiens de la Belle et de la Bete- opening ( 51 sec. ) / Ravel

Characteristic pattern of two short phrases answered by a long one ( 36 sec. ) / Ravel

Clarinet, flutes and violas, with ' sighing' figure derived from downward string motif ( 21 sec. ) / Ravel

Varied reprise of opening, entry of the ' Beast '; ' Watch it ! Watch it ! ' ( 32 sec. ) / Ravel

Again the ' Beast ' growls; again the cautious warning ' Watch it ! ' from the winds ( 40 sec. ) / Ravel

Derivative of Beauty's Theme from flute, combined with ' caution motif ' in strings ( 38 sec. ) / Ravel

' Beast's theme ' rises in pitch with each successive ' gowl ' (representing hope?) ( 52 sec. ) / Ravel

' Beauty ', ' Beast ' and ' Caution ' motifs all combine simultaneously ( 01 min., 12 sec. ) / Ravel

' Beast ' (contra-bassoon) climbs ever higher, handing over to bassoon proper ( 49 sec. ) / Ravel

Harp's upward glide heralds the moment of transformation; love song, fear, release ( 02 min., 09 sec. ) / Ravel

Les entretiens de la Belle et de la Bete (complete) ( 04 min., 14 sec. ) / Ravel

Le jardin feerique-Introduction; Opening bars are unfuuuuuuuuurled by the strings alone ( 40 sec. ) / Ravel

The rhythmic basis, and its guises. First, a question: ' Where went my childhood?' ( 01 min., 23 sec. ) / Ravel

The question intensified:' Oh where went ... my childhood?' ( 15 sec. ) / Ravel

The answer, with a falling inflection: ' Gone is your childhood.' ( 20 sec. ) / Ravel

The plea: ' Bring back my childhood!' ( 14 sec. ) / Ravel

The response: ' Seek in ... your mem'ry. There it ... will be.' ( 25 sec. ) / Ravel

Ravel's use of tone colour to change the feeling of the music ( 49 sec. ) / Ravel

Further illustration of the same point ( 27 sec. ) / Ravel

Continued ( 01 min., 44 sec. ) / Ravel

The nobility of the strings ( 45 sec. ) / Ravel

Bells evoked by French horns; the final, opulent, moving climax of the whole suite ( 01 min., 11 sec. ) / Ravel

Le jardin feerique (complete) ( 04 minutes ) / Ravel

Participant:

Siepmann, Jeremy, Artist -- Ravel, Maurice, Composer

Notes:

Naxos Digital Services electronic collection.

Streaming audio.

Publisher Number:

0636943803226

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.