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Ravel's Bolero: A Piece without Music?

Tom Service explores Ravel's Bolero – a classical chart-topper, concert-hall-filler and the soundtrack to Torvill and Dean's Olympic skating glory.

Tom Service explores Ravel's Bolero – a classical chart-topper, concert-hall-filler and the soundtrack to Torvill and Dean's Olympic skating glory. Written in 1928, Ravel described it as a 'piece without music in it' and agreed with the lady at the Paris premiere who shouted 'rubbish! rubbish!' over the applause. But he also admitted that with Bolero he had gambled and won, making one of the most experimental and popular pieces of orchestral music ever composed.

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29 minutes

Last on

Fri 2 Jun 2023 16:30
±«Óătv Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Maurice Ravel

    Bolero for orchestra

    Conductor: Pierre Boulez. Performer: Berliner Philharmoniker.
    • DG.
    • 4398592.

  • Jimmy Page

    Beck's Bolero

    Composer: Maurice Ravel. Performer: Jeff Beck.
    • EMI.
    • CDGOLD1060.

  • Isaac AlbĂ©niz

    Iberia - book 2 for piano: Triana

    Performer: Sir Stephen Hough.
    • HYPERION.
    • CDA67565.

  • Charlie Chaplin

    City Lights: The Flower Girl (La Violeta)

    Conductor: Carl Davis. Performer: City Lights Orchestra.
    • CARL DAVIS COLLECTION.
    • CDC015.

  • Trad.

    Bolero

    Performer: Carles Trepat.
    • LA MA DE GUIDO.
    • LMG-2021.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Una Paloma Blanca; Como La Mariposa Soy

    Performer: Jean-Pierre Armengaud. Performer: Natalie PĂ©rez.
    • WARNER CLASSICS.
    • 9029532913.

  • Daniel François Esprit Auber

    La Muette de Portici (Masaniello)

    Conductor: Jorge Velazco. Performer: Orquesta SinfĂłnica de MinerĂ­a.
    • VMS.
    • VMS107.

  • Hector Berlioz

    Zaide (Bolero) Op.19 No.1

    Conductor: Louis Langrée. Performer: Opéra National de Lyon. Performer: Véronique Gens.
    • ERATO.
    • 5454222.

  • Giuseppe Verdi

    Les Vepres siciliennes: Merce, dilette amiche (Bolero)

    Conductor: Gianandrea Noseda. Performer: Anna Netrebko. Performer: Turin Teatro Regio Orchestra.
    • DG.
    • 4791052.

  • FrĂ©dĂ©ric Chopin

    Bolero Op.19 for piano

    Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy.
    • LONDON.
    • 4437382.

  • Sergey Prokofiev

    The Steel step [Le pas d'acier] - suite Op.41a

    Conductor: Neeme Järvi. Performer: Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
    • CHANDOS.
    • CHAN10482X.

  • Alexandr Vasil'yevich Mosolov

    The Iron foundry [Zavod] Op.19

    Conductor: Riccardo Chailly. Performer: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
    • DECCA.
    • Decca-4366402.

  • George Antheil

    Ballet mecanique for pianola, 8 pianos and percussion

    Performer: Ivan David.
    • Music Masters.
    • 670942.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 28 May 2023 17:00
    ±«Óătv Radio 3
  • Fri 2 Jun 2023 16:30
    ±«Óătv Radio 3

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