Maurice Ravel: Ravel: Bolero • Rhapsodie • Daphnis et Chloé • Pavane - Bernard Haitink, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

Boléro is a one-movement orchestral piece by Maurice Ravel. Originally composed as a ballet, the piece, which premiered in 1928, is considered Ravel's most famous musical composition. Boléro epitomises Ravel's preoccupation with restyling and reinventing dance movements. It was also one of the last pieces he composed before illness forced him into retirement.

Rapsodie espagnole is an orchestral rhapsody written by Maurice Ravel. Composed between 1907 and 1908, the Rapsodie represents one of Ravel's first major works for orchestra. The Rapsodie reflects the profound influence of the Spanish musical heritage that was imparted to Ravel by his Basque mother. As a child, Ravel would listen to his mother sing him folk songs from her country.

Daphnis et Chloé is a ballet with music by Maurice Ravel. Ravel described it as a "symphonie choréographique" (choreographic symphony). The scenario was adapted by Michel Fokine from an eponymous romance by the Greek writer Longus thought to date from around the 3rd century AD. Scott Goddard published a contemporary commentary that discussed the changes to the story that Fokine made to prepare a workable ballet scenario. The story concerns the love between the goatherd Daphnis and the shepherdess Chloé. The ballet is in one act and three scenes. He extracted music from the ballet to make two orchestral suites, without the chorus. The second of the orchestral suites, which includes much of the last part of the ballet and concludes with the "Danse generale", is particularly popular. When the complete work is itself performed live, it is more often in concerts than in staged productions.

Pavane pour une infante défunte (Pavane for a Dead Princess) is a well-known piece written for solo piano by the French composer Maurice Ravel in 1899 when he was studying composition at the Conservatoire de Paris under Gabriel Fauré. Ravel also published an orchestrated version of the Pavane in 1910. A typical performance of the piece lasts between six and seven minutes.

These recordings by Bernard Haitink with the Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam date back from the seventies and are a testimony to Haitink's reputation with regard to the french repertoire. The recordings were made in 1971 (Daphnis), 1973 (Rhapsodie), 1975 (Bolero) and 1976 (Pavane). Needless to say that these recordings should be part of any classical collection. Enjoy!

Tracklist:

1. Ravel: Bolero
2. Ravel: Rhapsodie Espagnole - 1. Prélude à la nuit
3. Ravel: Rhapsodie Espagnole - 2. Malagueña
4. Ravel: Rhapsodie Espagnole - 3. Habañera
5. Ravel: Rhapsodie Espagnole - 4. Feria
6. Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé - Suite No. 2 - 1. Lever du jour
7. Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé - Suite No. 2 - 2. Pantomime
8. Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé - Suite No. 2 - 3. Danse générale
9. Ravel: Pavane pour une infante défunte




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