Ravel: Boléro

Recorded in Munchen 9th - 11th November 1960

From very early on in Maurice Ravel’s career it was clear that he was excited by the orchestra’s capacity for passion, exoticism and excess, and that strings, wind and brass, unlike the piano, sustain sounds. He was a master of orchestration and one of his favourite occupations was orchestrating his own piano music. Most of the works in this superb collection were originally written for the piano, with the exception of the three ballets.

Many of Ravel’s greatest works for orchestra are here, including pieces inspired by his Spanish background, Boléro, Alborada del gracioso, and his homage to Spain, the Rapsodie Espagnole. The collection also features one of Ravel’s most astonishing achievements, the Valses nobles et sentimentales: a set of seven sparing and dissonant waltzes, Daphnis et Chloé, the sumptuous full-length ballet he wrote for the Ballet Russes, and the dark and menacing portrait of the dance – La valse.

Ravel was a pianist, and the piano was central to his art. The piano was the instrument through which he discovered and expressed innovations in style, technique and expression. He composed at the piano, and, unsurprisingly, many of his orchestral works (Bolero being the exception) appeared in piano versions. Although his entire output is modest – around 60 works, he transcribed more than half of these works for 2 pianos, or piano duet.

Apart from the well known works, this 2cd set contains some little known pieces – Entre cloches of 1897 was only published in 1975, and was originally appended to the Haberna, now better known as the 3rd movement of Rapsodie espagnole. Frontispice for 2 pianos, 5 hands was written in 1918.

Ravel’s mother had died in 1917, and he was deeply attached to her. Her loss resulted in 3 years of musical silence, with the exception of Frontispice. It is a short and very experimental work published with a collection of philospohical war poetry by the Italian Ricciotto Canudo. It is a curiously evocative work, almost surreal.

This married piano partnership brings warmth and colour to these well known works. The dexterity and phrasing between the two players is absolutely intriguing and gives huge amounts of listening pleasure, highlighted by the Ravel’s Bolero. This recording is a real treat for all piano lovers.