80 Tracks, 1:37:31
- 02:29Bolero-Introduction; cue to unadorned Bolero rhythm, Part 1
- 00:08Bolero rhythm, Part 2: an extended variation of Part 1
- 00:22' Motto ' rhythm complete
- 00:23But here we have snare drums and plucked violas and cellos
- 00:37Section 1: Introduction of ' the theme ' by solo flute
- 00:49Flute continues with Part 2 of theme
- 01:30Section 2: Complete statement of theme by clarinet as flute joins ' motto ' group
- 00:18Introduction of ' discordant ' harp into the unfolding picture
- 00:34Section 3: Bassoon introduces closely related variant of theme
- 00:59...but then veers upwards, slowing rhythm and introducing new syncopation
- 01:21Section 4: ' Petite ' E flat clainet takes over theme, including variants
- 01:34Section 5: Oboe d'amore takes over theme but returns to its original form
- 01:16Section 6: Theme now shared by two instruments: uted trumpet and flute
- 01:40Section 7: Tenor saxophone takes Theme as trumpet replaces horn in ' motto '
- 01:09Section 8: Theme taken by soprano saxphone, ' espressivo '
- 01:25Section 9: Theme: celeste, piccolos and horn; Motto: flute and French horn
- 02:06Section 10: Theme: Oboes, horns, clarinets; Motto: plucked violas and violins
- 01:40Section 11: Theme taken by First Trombone, complete with jazzy slides
- 01:14Section 12: Theme: flutes, oboes, clarinets, sax; Motto: bassoons, horns, trumpets
- 01:14Section 13: Violins at last take the main tune, joining massed winds
- 01:04Section 14: Violins divide into four groups, each ' double-stopping '
- 01:18Section 15: Trumpet, trombone 2 and tuba join the foreground
- 00:56Section 16: First trombone and soprano saxophone ' rejoin ' theme
- 01:26Section 17: Fortissimo; all strings ' double-stopping '; trumpets added
- 01:18Section 18: Entire orchestra now employed, ' as loudly as possible '
- 01:21Section 19: Sudden, amazing change of key, lurching from C to E Major
- 00:37Section 20: Key now lurches back to C, as jazzy trombones whiningly protest
- 00:20Cue to complete performance
- 16:17Bolero (complete)
- 01:05Pavane de la Belle au bois dormant-Opening figure on flute; rising, falling, and then reeated
- 00:30Same again, with emphasis on delicacy of scoring
- 00:20answering variant, accompanied by plucked double basses
- 00:18Reminder of opening figure
- 00:13... and now its rhythmical mirror image, or almost...
- 00:41Answering Phrase 2: a near-inversion, over ' James Bond ' accompaniment
- 00:46Pivotal Phrase 3, reversing direction but keeping rhythm of Phrase 2
- 00:40Reprise of Phrases 1 and 2, but with new accompaniment
- 00:41Further Reprise of Phrase 2, now on violin, accompanied by harp
- 01:42Pavane (complete)
- 00:49Petit Poucet (Tom Thumb)-Introduction; Opening, with multi-metre rising scales from muted violins
- 00:24Change of metre continue as solo oboe introduces Theme One
- 00:45Oboe yields to Cor Anglais for Theme Two, against lower (still muted) strings
- 00:25Theme One returns, shared by clarinet and flute, muted horn added to accompaniment
- 00:47'Motto' rhythm dominates as intensity increases from lower strings to full orchestra
- 00:32Fear subsides as Theme Two returns, again in Cor Anglais but now in a different key
- 00:44Sensational sound effects evoke a wood at night, with screeches, cuckooing etc.
- 00:19Texture thins; Theme one returns, delicately scored for strings and piccolo
- 00:29The main part of movement ends, with waltz-like march(!), featuring flute
- 03:28Petit Poucet (complete)
- 02:00Laideronnette, Imperatrice des Pagodes-Introduction; opening bars, followed by Theme One
- 00:16Oriental-orchestral equivalent of an imprial telephone bell
- 00:15... oboe ' answers ' with a very slightly varied version of Theme One
- 01:00Expanded derivative of the ' telephone bell ' interrupts the theme again
- 00:24Fragments of theme in flutes and cor anglais, with ' James Bond ' tag in violins
- 00:32'Gamelan ' music from flute and piccolo, accompanied by harp, xylophone and strings
- 00:48arrival of Empress; upper strings yield to winds, celeste, harp and (very discreet) gong
- 03:58Laideronnette, Imperatrice des Pagodes (complete)
- 00:51Les entretiens de la Belle et de la Bete- opening
- 00:37Characteristic pattern of two short phrases answered by a long one
- 00:21Clarinet, flutes and violas, with ' sighing' figure derived from downward string motif
- 00:32Varied reprise of opening, entry of the ' Beast '; ' Watch it ! Watch it ! '
- 00:40Again the ' Beast ' growls; again the cautious warning ' Watch it ! ' from the winds
- 00:38Derivative of Beauty's Theme from flute, combined with ' caution motif ' in strings
- 00:53' Beast's theme ' rises in pitch with each successive ' gowl ' (representing hope?)
- 01:12' Beauty ', ' Beast ' and ' Caution ' motifs all combine simultaneously
- 00:49' Beast ' (contra-bassoon) climbs ever higher, handing over to bassoon proper
- 02:10Harp's upward glide heralds the moment of transformation; love song, fear, release
- 04:14Les entretiens de la Belle et de la Bete (complete)
- 00:41Le jardin feerique-Introduction; Opening bars are unfuuuuuuuuurled by the strings alone
- 01:24The rhythmic basis, and its guises. First, a question: ' Where went my childhood?'
- 00:15The question intensified:' Oh where went ... my childhood?'
- 00:21The answer, with a falling inflection: ' Gone is your childhood.'
- 00:14The plea: ' Bring back my childhood!'
- 00:25The response: ' Seek in ... your mem'ry. There it ... will be.'
- 00:49Ravel's use of tone colour to change the feeling of the music
- 00:27Further illustration of the same point
- 01:45Continued
- 00:45The nobility of the strings
- 01:12Bells evoked by French horns; the final, opulent, moving climax of the whole suite
- 04:00Le jardin feerique (complete)