The Land Caressed by the Sun
Born in the Basque country to a Spanish mother, Ravel was always fascinated by Spain and Spanish music. Donald Macleod traces this influence in Ravel's earliest works.
All this week Donald Macleod looks at the life and music of Maurice Ravel. Today he considers the Spanish influence on the music of Maurice Ravel. Born in the Basque region of France to a Spanish-speaking mother and Swiss-French father, Ravel's Spanish heritage would feature prominently in many of his early works, as he evoked 'the fragrant land caressed by the sun' -to quote the subtitle to his early Habanera.
Habanera (Rapsodie Espagnol)
Pascal & Ami Rogé, piano
Pavane pour une infante defunte
Ulster Orchestra
Yan Pascal Tortelier, conductor
Jeux d'eau
Angela Hewitt, piano
String Quartet in F
Emerson String Quartet
Miroirs (exracts)
Bertrand Chamayou, piano
Menuet (1904)
Bertrand Chamayou, piano.
Last on
More episodes
Previous
You are at the first episode
Music Played
![]()
Maurice Ravel
Habanera (Rapsodie Espagnole)
Performer: Ami Rogé. Performer: Pascal Rogé.- Onyx.
- 4117.
![]()
Maurice Ravel
Pavane pour une infante defunte, arr. for orchestra [orig. piano]
Conductor: Yan Pascal Tortelier. Performer: Ulster Orchestra.- Chandos.
- CHAN10251.
![]()
Maurice Ravel
Jeux d'eau for piano
Performer: Angela Hewitt.- Hyperion.
- CDA673412.
![]()
Maurice Ravel
Quartet in F major for strings (1st and 2nd movements)
Performer: Emerson String Quartet.- Deutsche Grammophon.
- 4455092.
![]()
Maurice Ravel
Miroirs for piano (Nos 2-4)
Performer: Bertrand Chamayou.- Erato.
- 08256 4602681.
![]()
Maurice Ravel
Minuet for piano [MS, Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris]
Performer: Bertrand Chamayou.- ERATO.
- 082564602681.
Broadcast
- Mon 21 May 201812:00BBC Radio 3
Beethoven Unleashed – the box set
The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.
What was really wrong with Beethoven?
Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems
Composers A to Z
Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.
Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week
The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod’s best stories from the last 20 years
Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem
What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?
A man out of time – why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...
The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.
Composer Help Page
Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.
