A Dandy in a Hurry

Donald Macleod explores Ravel’s meteoric rise to fame and early chamber music, including a long-lost violin sonata and a unique arrangement for four ondes Martenot.

The music of Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) is much loved for its remarkable orchestral colours and brilliant virtuosity, heard vividly in works like Bolero, Daphnis and Chloe and Gaspard de la Nuit. But his chamber music, intimate, crystalline, and beautiful, is often overlooked. This week Donald Macleod puts that right, as he introduces every one of Ravel’s works for small instrumental ensemble; an array of work that spans the composer’s colourful life and career.

He begins in turn of the century Paris - as the young, unfulfilled dandy turns a corner: and quickly becomes the hottest property in French music. We hear a wistful, early violin sonata lost for several decades - as well as a remarkable later arrangement of the composer’s String Quartet to which the composer gave his blessing: for not one, but FOUR ondes Martenot!

Berceuse sur le nom de Gabriel Fauré
Nathalia Milstein (violin)
Maria Milstein (piano)

Violin Sonata no.1 in A Minor, op posth
Philippe Graffin (violin)
Claire Désert (piano)

Site Auriculaires, for two pianos: Entre Cloches
Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)
Vovka Ashkenazy (piano)

Chanson du Rouet
Si morne!
Jessye Norman (Soprano)
Dalton Baldwin (piano)

Overture: Shéhérezade
Les Siècles
Francois-Xavier Roth (conductor)

String Quartet in F major (1st mvt) - arr. for 4 ondes Martenot
Ondes Martenot Ensemble of Montreal

Produced by Steven Rajam