Title: Introduction to Ravel: Bolero & Ma Mere L'oye
Artist: Ravel / Siepmann
Label: Naxos
Product Type: COMPACT DISCS
UPC: 636943803226
Genre: Books on Tape/Cd, Classical

The famous Boléro and the enchanting Mother Goose Suite give us Ravel the orchestral sorcerer at the peak of his unsurpassed powers. From the fierce vitality of sun-baked Spain to the most poignant evocations of childhood and innocence, he captures the immediacy of experience as we feel it. Yet he saw himself as an artisan, not an artist, and a discoverer rather than a composer. Behind every work was a craftsman of astonishing skill - so astonishing that we can examine the artistic workshop in minute detail without dispelling any of the magic. 'Boléro is the most formula-ridden, deliberately repetitious piece of music ever to enter the mainstream concert repertoire,' says Jeremy Siepmann. Ravel himself regarded it as an experiment in form - yet it has proved one of the most popular and seemingly spontaneous works in all classical music. In his informative manner, Siepmann explains, 'Ravel seems to put all his cards on the table right at the outset... but like all top-class magicians... he had endless surprises up his sleeve.' With the surprises revealed, the spotlight put also on the enchanting Mother Goose Suite, and Ravel's fascinating life and behavior related in the accompanying booklet, this is a compelling recording.

Tracks:
1.1 Bolero: Introduction; Cue to Unadorned Bolero Rhythm, Part 1
1.2 Bolero: Bolero Rhythm, Part 2: An Extended Variation of Part 1
1.3 Bolero: 'Motto' Rhythm Complete (Instrumentation Will Change on Each New Hearing)
1.4 Bolero: But Here We Have Snare Drums and Plucked Violas and Cellos
1.5 Bolero: Section 1: Introduction of 'The Theme: (The Only One in the Piece) By Solo Flute
1.6 Bolero: Flute Continues with Part 2 of Theme
1.7 Bolero: Section 2: Complete Statement of Theme By Clarinet As Flute Joins 'Motto' Group
1.8 Bolero: Introduction of 'Discordant' Harp Into the Unfolding Picture
1.9 Bolero: Section 3: Bassoon Introduces Closely Related Variant of Theme
1.10 Bolero:... But Then Veers Upwards, Slowing Rhythm and Introducing New Syncopation
1.11 Bolero: Section 4: 'Petite' E Flat Clarinet Takes Over Theme, Including Variants
1.12 Bolero: Section 5: Oboe D'amore Takes Over Theme But Returns to It's Original Form
1.13 Bolero: Section 6: Theme Now Shared By Two Instruments: Muted Trumpet and Flute
1.14 Bolero: Section 7: Tenor Saxophone Takes Theme As Trumpet Replaces Horn in 'Motto'
1.15 Bolero: Section 8: Theme Taken By Soprano Saxophone, 'Espressivo'
1.16 Bolero: Section 9: Theme: Celeste, Piccolos and Horn; Motto: Flute and French Horn
1.17 Bolero: Section 10: Theme: Oboes, Horns, Clarinets; Motto: Plucked Violas and Violins
1.18 Bolero: Section 11: Theme Taken By First Trombone, Complete with Jazzy Slides
1.19 Bolero: Section 12: Theme: Flutes, Oboes, Clarinets, Sax; Motto: Bassoons, Horns, Trumpets
1.20 Bolero: Section 13: Violins at Last Take the Main Tune, Joining Massed Winds
1.21 Bolero: Section 14: Violins Divide Into Four Groups, Each 'Double-Stopping'
1.22 Bolero: Section 15: Trumpet, Trombone 2 and Tuba Join the Foreground
1.23 Bolero: Section 16: First Trombone and Soprano Saxophone 'Rejoin' Theme
1.24 Bolero: Section 17: Fortissimo; All Strings 'Double-Stopping'; Trumpets Added
1.25 Bolero: Section 18: Entire Orchestra Now Employed, 'As Loudly As Possible'
1.26 Bolero: Section 19: Sudden, Amazing Change of Key, Lurching from C to E Major
1.27 Bolero: Section 20: Key Now Lurches Back to C, As Jazzy Trombones Whiningly Protest
1.28 Bolero: Cue to Complete Performance
1.29 Bolero: Bolero (Complete)
2.1 Ma Mere L'oye: 1. Pavane de la Belle Au Bois Dormant: Opening Figure on Flute; Rising, Falling
2.2 Ma Mere L'oye: 1. Pavane de la Belle Au Bois Dormant: Same Again, with Emphasis on Delicacy of
2.3 Ma Mere L'oye: 1. Pavane de la Belle Au Bois Dormant: Answering Variant, Accompanied By Plucked
2.4 Ma Mere L'oye: 1. Pavane de la Belle Au Bois Dormant: Reminder of Opening Figure
2.5 Ma Mere L'oye: 1. Pavane de la Belle Au Bois Dormant... And Now It's Rhythmical Mirror Image, or...
2.6 Ma Mere L'oye: 1. Pavane de la Belle Au Bois Dormant: Answering Phrase 2: A Near-Inversion, Over
2.7 Ma Mere L'oye: 1. Pavane de la Belle Au Bois Dormant: Pivotal Phrase 3, Reversing Direction But
2.8 Ma Mere L'oye: 1. Pavane de la Belle Au Bois Dormant: Reprise of Phrases 1 and 2, But Now on
2.9 Ma Mere L'oye: 1. Pavane de la Belle Au Bois Dormant: Further Reprise of Phrase 2, Now on Violin.
2.10 Ma Mere L'oye: 1. Pavane (Complete)
2.11 Ma Mere L'oye: 2. Petit Poucet (Tom Thumb): Introduction; Opening, with Multi-Metre Rising Scales
2.12 Ma Mere L'oye: 2. Petit Poucet (Tom Thumb): Changes of Metre Continue As Solo Oboe Introduces
2.13 Ma Mere L'oye: 2. Petit Poucet (Tom Thumb): Oboe Yields to Cor Anglais for Theme Two, Against
2.14 Ma Mere L'oye: 2. Petit Poucet (Tom Thumb): Theme One Returns, Shared By Clarinet and Flute; Muted.
2.15 Ma Mere L'oye: 2. Petit Poucet (Tom Thumb): 'Motto' Rhythm Dominates As Intensity Increases from
2.16 Ma Mere L'oye: 2. Petit Poucet (Tom Thumb): Fear Subsides As Theme Two Returns, Again in Cor
2.17 Ma Mere L'oye: 2. Petit Poucet (Tom Thumb): Sensational Sound Effects Evoke a Wood at Night, with
2.18 Ma Mere L'oye: 2. Petit Poucet (Tom Thumb): Texture Thins; Theme One Returns, Delicately Scored
2.19 Ma Mere L'oye: 2. Petit Poucet (Tom Thumb): The Main Part of Movement Ends, with Waltz-Like March
2.20 Ma Mere L'oye: 2. Petit Poucet (Complete)
2.21 Ma Mere L'oye: 3. Laideronnette, Imperatrice Des Pagodes: Introduction; Opening (Introductory)
2.22 Ma Mere L'oye: 3. Laideronnette, Imperatrice Des Pagodes: Oriental-Orchestral Equivalent of An
2.23 Ma Mere L'oye: 3. Laideronnette, Imperatrice Des Pagodes:... Oboe 'Answers' with a Very Slightly
2.24 Ma Mere L'oye: 3. Laideronnette, Imperatrice Des Pagodes: Expanded Derivative of the 'Telephone
2.25 Ma Mere L'oye: 3. Laideronnette, Imperatrice Des Pagodes: Fragments of Theme in Flutes and Cor
2.26 Ma Mere L'oye: 3. Laideronnette, Imperatrice Des Pagodes: 'Gamelan' Music from Flute and Piccolo
2.27 Ma Mere L'oye: 3. Laideronnette, Imperatrice Des Pagodes: Arrival of Empress; Upper Strings Yield
2.28 Ma Mere L'oye: 3. Laideronnette, Imperatrice Des Pagodes (Complete)
2.29 Ma Mere L'oye: 4. Les Entretiens de la Belle Et de la Bete: Opening, Waltz Theme from Clarinet
2.30 Ma Mere L'oye: 4. Les Entretiens de la Belle Et de la Bete: Characteristic Pattern of Two Short
2.31 Ma Mere L'oye: 4. Les Entretiens de la Belle Et de la Bete: Clarinet, Flutes and Violas, with.
2.32 Ma Mere L'oye: 4. Les Entretiens de la Belle Et de la Bete: Varied Reprise of Opening, Entry of
2.33 Ma Mere L'oye: 4. Les Entretiens de la Belle Et de la Bete: Again the 'Beast' Growls; Again the
2.34 Ma Mere L'oye: 4. Les Entretiens de la Belle Et de la Bete: Derivative of Beauty's Theme from
2.35 Ma Mere L'oye: 4. Les Entretiens de la Belle Et de la Bete: 'Beast's Theme' Rises in Pitch with
2.36 Ma Mere L'oye: 4. Les Entretiens de la Belle Et de la Bete: 'Beauty', 'Beast' and 'Caution' Motifs
2.37 Ma Mere L'oye: 4. Les Entretiens de la Belle Et de la Bete: 'Beast' (Contra-Bassoon) Climbs Ever
2.38 Ma Mere L'oye: 4. Les Entretiens de la Belle Et de la Bete: Harp's Upward Glide Heralds the Moment
2.39 Ma Mere L'oye: 4. Les Entretiens de la Belle Et de la Bete (Complete)
2.40 Ma Mere L'oye: 5. Le Jardin Feerique: Introduction; Opening Bars Are Unfurled By the Strings Alone
2.41 Ma Mere L'oye: 5. Le Jardin Feerique: The Rhythmic Basis, and It's Guises. First, a Question
2.42 Ma Mere L'oye: 5. Le Jardin Feerique: The Question Intensified: 'Oh Where Went... My Childhood?'
2.43 Ma Mere L'oye: 5. Le Jardin Feerique: The Answer, with a Falling Inflection: 'Gone Is Your
2.44 Ma Mere L'oye: 5. Le Jardin Feerique: The Plea: 'Bring Back My Child-Hood!'
2.45 Ma Mere L'oye: 5. Le Jardin Feerique: The Response: 'Seek in... Your Mem'ry. There It... Will Be.'
2.46 Ma Mere L'oye: 5. Le Jardin Feerique: Ravel's Use of Tone Colour to Change the Feeling of the Music
2.47 Ma Mere L'oye: 5. Le Jardin Feerique: Further Illustration of the Same Point
2.48 Ma Mere L'oye: 5. Le Jardin Feerique: Continued
2.49 Ma Mere L'oye: 5. Le Jardin Feerique: The Nobility of the Strings
2.50 Ma Mere L'oye: 5. Le Jardin Feerique: Bells Evoked By French Horns; the Final, Opulent, Moving
2.51 Ma Mere L'oye: 5. Le Jardin Feerique (Complete)