Motherland
Donald Macleod drops five pins on the map of Ravel鈥檚 life story. Today, a coastal jaunt to the Basque Country, his spiritual home.
Donald Macleod explores Ravel鈥檚 powerful bond with the Basque Country, his spiritual home.
Maurice Ravel is one of France鈥檚 most enigmatic, original and beloved composers. While less prolific than some of his contemporaries, Ravel was a master of detail - his works are elegant and exquisitely crafted, and precision was a guiding force in both his creativity and personality. He is often linked with impressionism for his painterly approach to orchestration and vivid sound worlds of his piano writing, but his distinctive voice bears influences from the baroque, to the exotic, to jazz. Over the course of this week, Donald Macleod drops five pins on the map of Ravel鈥檚 life story, discovering the places that were important to him and what they reveal about his character.
Today, the place Ravel called 鈥渕y country鈥� 鈥� the Basque region in Southwest France, which had a strong sentimental pull over him. Although he only lived there for the first few weeks of his life, he returned time and time again to his coastal motherland, where a key part of his personal and creative identity was formed. We鈥檒l step into Ravel鈥檚 holiday snaps, meet the most important woman in his life, and hear how Basque culture coloured some of his best-loved works.
Habanera
London Symphony Orchestra
Francois-Xavier Roth, conductor
Pavane pour une infante defunte
Louis Lortie, piano
Alborada del Gracioso (Miroirs)
Louis Lortie, piano
Piano Trio
Florestan Trio
Don Quichotte a Dulcin茅e
Jose van Dam, baritone
Orchestre de l鈥橭p茅ra National de Lyon
Kent Nagano, conductor
Produced in Cardiff by Amelia Parker
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Maurice Ravel
Habanera
Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Fran莽ois鈥怷avier Roth.- LSO LSO0821.
- LSO.
- 3.
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Maurice Ravel
Pavane pour une infante defunte
Performer: Louis Lortie.- CHANDOS : CHAN-X10142.
- CHANDOS.
- 1.
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Maurice Ravel
Alborada del Gracioso (Miroirs)
Performer: Louis Lortie.- CHANDOS : chan-7004/5.
- CHANDOS.
- 12.
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Maurice Ravel
Piano Trio in A minor
Ensemble: The Florestan Trio.- DEBUSSY - Piano trio in G minor - Scherzo.
- HYPERION.
- 8.
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Maurice Ravel
Don Quichotte a Dulcinee
Singer: Jos茅 van Dam. Orchestra: Lyon Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Kent Nagano.- ERATO 5618502.
- Erato.
- 1.
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Max Bruch
Eight Pieces Op 83 - No 5 Romanian Melody
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Max Bruch
Eight Pieces Op 83 - No 1 Andante
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Max Bruch
Eight Pieces Op 83 - No 5 Romanian Melody
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Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Symphony No 1 (Winter Daydreams)
Orchestra: 大象传媒 Philharmonic. Conductor: Vassily Sinaisky.
Broadcast
- Mon 22 Mar 2021 12:00大象传媒 Radio 3
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