Night Owl

Donald Macleod follows Ravel to America for the trip of a lifetime.

Maurice Ravel is one of France’s 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’s life story, discovering the places that were important to him and what they reveal about his character.

In today’s programme, we set sail for America, on Ravel’s greatest journey. We’ll hear about his concert-hall capers on a tour spanning 17 cities and 25 towns, and the ridiculous extent of his over-packing. This itinerary wasn’t enough to tire out Ravel, who would only go to bed “when every other possibility had been exhausted”, and it seems fitting that his twilight years were some of the most adventurous of his life. As a jazz lover, Ravel was in his element when Gershwin took him club hopping in Harlem, and the many colourful encounters he had in the States would have a lasting influence on his music.

Daphnis et Chloé: Part III (Lever du jour)
Orchestre et Choeur de l'Opéra National de Paris,
Philippe Jordan, conductor

Sonatine (II. Mouvement de minuet)
Steven Osborne, piano

Violin Sonata in G major
Janine Jansen, violin
Itamar Golan, piano

Piano Concerto in G major
Krystian Zimerman, piano
Cleveland Orchestra
Pierre Boulez, conductor

Produced in Cardiff by Amelia Parker