Classics Explained: Ravel - Bolero and Ma Mere L'Oye (Smillie) - CD

CD - 1

Maurice Ravel

An Introduction to … RAVEL: Bolero and Ma Mere L'oye

 

1. Bolero-Introduction; cue to unadorned Bolero rhythm, Part 1

00:02:29

 

2. Bolero rhythm, Part 2: an extended variation of Part 1

00:00:07

 

3. ' Motto ' rhythm complete

00:00:21

 

4. But here we have snare drums and plucked violas and cellos

00:00:22

 

5. Section 1: Introduction of ' the theme ' by solo flute

00:00:37

 

6. Flute continues with Part 2 of theme

00:00:48

 

7. Section 2: Complete statement of theme by clarinet as flute joins ' motto ' group

00:01:30

 

8. Introduction of ' discordant ' harp into the unfolding picture

00:00:18

 

9. Section 3: Bassoon introduces closely related variant of theme

00:00:34

 

10. ...but then veers upwards, slowing rhythm and introducing new syncopation

00:00:59

 

11. Section 4: ' Petite ' E flat clainet takes over theme, including variants

00:01:21

 

12. Section 5: Oboe d'amore takes over theme but returns to its original form

00:01:34

 

13. Section 6: Theme now shared by two instruments: uted trumpet and flute

00:01:16

 

14. Section 7: Tenor saxophone takes Theme as trumpet replaces horn in ' motto '

00:01:39

 

15. Section 8: Theme taken by soprano saxphone, ' espressivo '

00:01:09

 

16. Section 9: Theme: celeste, piccolos and horn; Motto: flute and French horn

00:01:24

 

17. Section 10: Theme: Oboes, horns, clarinets; Motto: plucked violas and violins

00:02:06

 

18. Section 11: Theme taken by First Trombone, complete with jazzy slides

00:01:40

 

19. Section 12: Theme: flutes, oboes, clarinets, sax; Motto: bassoons, horns, trumpets

00:01:13

 

20. Section 13: Violins at last take the main tune, joining massed winds

00:01:14

 

21. Section 14: Violins divide into four groups, each ' double-stopping '

00:01:04

 

22. Section 15: Trumpet, trombone 2 and tuba join the foreground

00:01:18

 

23. Section 16: First trombone and soprano saxophone ' rejoin ' theme

00:00:56

 

24. Section 17: Fortissimo; all strings ' double-stopping '; trumpets added

00:01:26

 

25. Section 18: Entire orchestra now employed, ' as loudly as possible '

00:01:18

 

26. Section 19: Sudden, amazing change of key, lurching from C to E Major

00:01:20

 

27. Section 20: Key now lurches back to C, as jazzy trombones whiningly protest

00:00:36

 

28. Cue to complete performance

00:00:20

 

29. Bolero (complete)

00:16:16

CD - 2

Maurice Ravel

An Introduction to … RAVEL: Bolero and Ma Mere L'oye

 

1. Pavane de la Belle au bois dormant-Opening figure on flute; rising, falling, and then reeated

00:01:04

 

2. Same again, with emphasis on delicacy of scoring

00:00:30

 

3. answering variant, accompanied by plucked double basses

00:00:19

 

4. Reminder of opening figure

00:00:18

 

5. ... and now its rhythmical mirror image, or almost...

00:00:12

 

6. Answering Phrase 2: a near-inversion, over ' James Bond ' accompaniment

00:00:41

 

7. Pivotal Phrase 3, reversing direction but keeping rhythm of Phrase 2

00:00:46

 

8. Reprise of Phrases 1 and 2, but with new accompaniment

00:00:39

 

9. Further Reprise of Phrase 2, now on violin, accompanied by harp

00:00:40

 

10. Pavane (complete)

00:01:41

 

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

00:00:49

 

12. Change of metre continue as solo oboe introduces Theme One

00:00:24

 

13. Oboe yields to Cor Anglais for Theme Two, against lower (still muted) strings

00:00:44

 

14. Theme One returns, shared by clarinet and flute, muted horn added to accompaniment

00:00:25

 

15. 'Motto' rhythm dominates as intensity increases from lower strings to full orchestra

00:00:46

 

16. Fear subsides as Theme Two returns, again in Cor Anglais but now in a different key

00:00:32

 

17. Sensational sound effects evoke a wood at night, with screeches, cuckooing etc.

00:00:44

 

18. Texture thins; Theme one returns, delicately scored for strings and piccolo

00:00:19

 

19. The main part of movement ends, with waltz-like march(!), featuring flute

00:00:28

 

20. Petit Poucet (complete)

00:03:28

 

21. Laideronnette, Imperatrice des Pagodes-Introduction; opening bars, followed by Theme One

00:02:00

 

22. Oriental-orchestral equivalent of an imprial telephone bell

00:00:15

 

23. ... oboe ' answers ' with a very slightly varied version of Theme One

00:00:15

 

24. Expanded derivative of the ' telephone bell ' interrupts the theme again

00:01:00

 

25. Fragments of theme in flutes and cor anglais, with ' James Bond ' tag in violins

00:00:24

 

26. 'Gamelan ' music from flute and piccolo, accompanied by harp, xylophone and strings

00:00:32

 

27. arrival of Empress; upper strings yield to winds, celeste, harp and (very discreet) gong

00:00:47

 

28. Laideronnette, Imperatrice des Pagodes (complete)

00:03:57

 

29. Les entretiens de la Belle et de la Bete- opening

00:00:51

 

30. Characteristic pattern of two short phrases answered by a long one

00:00:36

 

31. Clarinet, flutes and violas, with ' sighing' figure derived from downward string motif

00:00:21

 

32. Varied reprise of opening, entry of the ' Beast '; ' Watch it ! Watch it ! '

00:00:32

 

33. Again the ' Beast ' growls; again the cautious warning ' Watch it ! ' from the winds

00:00:40

 

34. Derivative of Beauty's Theme from flute, combined with ' caution motif ' in strings

00:00:38

 

35. ' Beast's theme ' rises in pitch with each successive ' gowl ' (representing hope?)

00:00:52

 

36. ' Beauty ', ' Beast ' and ' Caution ' motifs all combine simultaneously

00:01:12

 

37. ' Beast ' (contra-bassoon) climbs ever higher, handing over to bassoon proper

00:00:49

 

38. Harp's upward glide heralds the moment of transformation; love song, fear, release

00:02:09

 

39. Les entretiens de la Belle et de la Bete (complete)

00:04:14

 

40. Le jardin feerique-Introduction; Opening bars are unfuuuuuuuuurled by the strings alone

00:00:40

 

41. The rhythmic basis, and its guises. First, a question: ' Where went my childhood?'

00:01:23

 

42. The question intensified:' Oh where went ... my childhood?'

00:00:15

 

43. The answer, with a falling inflection: ' Gone is your childhood.'

00:00:20

 

44. The plea: ' Bring back my childhood!'

00:00:14

 

45. The response: ' Seek in ... your mem'ry. There it ... will be.'

00:00:25

 

46. Ravel's use of tone colour to change the feeling of the music

00:00:49

 

47. Further illustration of the same point

00:00:27

 

48. Continued

00:01:44

 

49. The nobility of the strings

00:00:45

 

50. Bells evoked by French horns; the final, opulent, moving climax of the whole suite

00:01:11

 

51. Le jardin feerique (complete)

00:04:00