Refuge

Donald Macleod steps into Ravel’s beloved home and the quirky, inner world he created there.

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.

Today, Donald takes us through the keyhole of Ravel’s eccentric house, Le Belvedere. After the trauma of war and grief, settling here heralded a period of refuge and recovery as he created a very personal nest where he could be himself. This bizarre, impractical dwelling, was described as a “toy surprise”, and through the house Ravel created an outward version of his inner, often child-like world. As the backdrop for some of his happiest memories, we’ll meet Ravel the lively host, cat-parent, and unsung interiors guru.

Berceuse sur le nom de Gabriel Fauré
James Ehnes, violin
Wendy Chen, piano

Ma Mere L’Oye Suite
Rotterdam Philharmonic
Yannick Nezet-Seguin, conductor

Tzigane
Itzhak Perlman, vioin
Myor Rosen, harp
New York Philharmonic
Zubin Mehta, conductor

L'enfant et les sortilèges: Duo miaulé (Cat Duet)
David Wilson-Johnson, baritone
Jacqueline Miura, soprano
London Symphony Orchestra
Andre Previn, conductor

Bolero
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Pierre Boulez, conductor

Produced in Cardiff by Amelia Parker