To my amusement, but not surprise, I don't think the official BaL has ever had a go at this, at least not since 1999. All I can find is a 20-minute talk by Stephen Johnson, posing the question as to whether or not Bolero proved the composer was succumbing to dementia.
Yet given its stellar popularity and the massive number of recordings, many of them played by virtuoso orchestras in demonstration sound, a BaL ought to be done. We learn more about orchestration - and harmonisation - by listening to Bolero carefully, than we do in perhaps any other piece in the repertoire.
I'll start the ball rolling with one classic, and one "long shot".
* The classic I'd choose is Monteux with the LSO (on Philips CD reissue 464 733-2), recorded in Wembley Town Hall in 1964. The tempo is perfect, the build imperious, the recording Rolls-Royce in its smoothness and detail - and that frankly orgiastic moment when the key change comes at the climax still has me jumping out of my seat.
* My long shot is Libor Pešek and the Czech Philharmonic (in Supraphon's 'Libor Pešek Gold' 4-CD collection), recorded in Prague's Rudolfinum in 1985, which I bought for the Suk content really. I love the vivid colours in which the highly individual woodwind and brass sections clothe their "moments" - not least the braying, elephantine trombones at the end - and the almost religious sense of a procession that the conductor engenders. It is thrilling, moving listening.
As are so many Boleros, yes?
Yet given its stellar popularity and the massive number of recordings, many of them played by virtuoso orchestras in demonstration sound, a BaL ought to be done. We learn more about orchestration - and harmonisation - by listening to Bolero carefully, than we do in perhaps any other piece in the repertoire.
I'll start the ball rolling with one classic, and one "long shot".
* The classic I'd choose is Monteux with the LSO (on Philips CD reissue 464 733-2), recorded in Wembley Town Hall in 1964. The tempo is perfect, the build imperious, the recording Rolls-Royce in its smoothness and detail - and that frankly orgiastic moment when the key change comes at the climax still has me jumping out of my seat.
* My long shot is Libor Pešek and the Czech Philharmonic (in Supraphon's 'Libor Pešek Gold' 4-CD collection), recorded in Prague's Rudolfinum in 1985, which I bought for the Suk content really. I love the vivid colours in which the highly individual woodwind and brass sections clothe their "moments" - not least the braying, elephantine trombones at the end - and the almost religious sense of a procession that the conductor engenders. It is thrilling, moving listening.
As are so many Boleros, yes?
)
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