Main content

Ravel's Bolero: A Piece without Music?

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

Tom Service explores Ravel's Bolero 鈥� 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.

Available now

29 minutes

Last on

Fri 2 Jun 2023 16:30
大象传媒 Radio 3

More episodes

Previous

All the King's Music

Next

Artificial intelligence and music

See all episodes from The Listening Service

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 Alb茅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 P茅rez.
    • WARNER CLASSICS.
    • 9029532913.

  • Daniel Fran莽ois Esprit Auber

    La Muette de Portici (Masaniello)

    Conductor: Jorge Velazco. Performer: Orquesta Sinf贸nica de Miner铆a.
    • VMS.
    • VMS107.

  • Hector Berlioz

    Zaide (Bolero) Op.19 No.1

    Conductor: Louis Langr茅e. Performer: Op茅ra National de Lyon. Performer: V茅ronique 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.

  • Fr茅d茅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 J盲rvi. 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
    大象传媒 Radio 3
  • Fri 2 Jun 2023 16:30
    大象传媒 Radio 3

Why do we call it 'classical' music?

Tom Service poses a very simple question (with a not-so-simple answer).

Six of the world's most extreme voices

From babies to Mongolian throat singers: whose voice is the most extreme of all?

How did the number 12 revolutionise music?

How did the number 12 revolutionise music?

How Schoenberg opened a new cosmos for composers and listeners to explore.

Why are we all addicted to bass?

Why are we all addicted to bass?

Bass is everywhere, but why do we enjoy it? Join Tom Service on a journey of discovery.

Watch the animations

Join Tom Service on a musical journey through beginnings, repetition and bass lines.

When does noise become music?

We like to think we can separate 鈥渘oise鈥� from 鈥渕usic鈥�, but is it that simple?

Podcast