Ravel's Bolero

[Master Jacques]

Hugo Rignold's Pye Golden Guinea stereo LP ... wonder what I'd think of it now?

Thanks to Mr Amazon's streaming unlimited, I can answer my own question! It's not bad at all, with some outstandingly good bassoon and trombone playing from the LPO's principals of the time. Though the woodwind sound too recessed in the ensemble sections, and there isn't a huge dynamic range, Rignold goes for the nobility of the piece, and captures that well.

[pastoralguy]

I once heard a British orchestra play Bolero who, at the time, were going through a bad patch. What I remember was that the wind solos were 'serviceable'. However, the solo saxophone player was a deputy and he played his rendition of the tune absolutely exquisitely! He was never asked back!!

(I should say that this Orchestra is now riding high these days!)

[cloughie]

Strangely enough Carmina Burana was the very piece I had in mind when talking about works which, like Bolero suffer from snobbery. I loved George Steiner's talks, which were as stimulating as they were entertaining, and I still cherish several of his books: but musically he had a tin ear and followed received opinion rather than understanding what was going on with organised sound.
I suppose that Marmite suffers from snobbish reactions too, at some level. Whether or not people like it, they can't knock it, as it sets a record for keeping its place in the market, without a name or formula change - and with minimal packaging redesign - since 1902!

That’s the joy of Marmite - Hate Bolero but love Carmina Burana!

[visualnickmos]

That’s the joy of Marmite - Hate Bolero but love Carmina Burana!

Quite so! I detest Marmite, but love Bolero, and Carmina Burana..... am I being too greedy?

[cloughie]

Quite so! I detest Marmite, but love Bolero, and Carmina Burana..... am I being too greedy?

Two out of three ain’t bad, even if one of them isn’t marmite!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

My parents only owned about five "classical" records, of which one was Hugo Rignold's Pye Golden Guinea stereo LP, with The Sorcerer's Apprentice on one side and Bolero on the other - which nowadays would be impossibly short measure, even at bargain basement prices. I loved that disc, but wonder what I'd think of it now?

I was given that LP for my 13th birthday. I recall the cover having a scantily dressed dancer on it.

[Pulcinella]

Indeed so. As a young boy I remember watching Lawrence Leonard (at that time Barbirolli's assistant conductor) doing it with the Hallé, and pulling a similar trick to George Weldon's, so nicely described by Alpensinfonie earlier in the thread. Great stuff.

Following the piece with a score also enhances admiration for Ravel's extraordinary legerdemain.

Not on this forum of course, where the negative reactions are of course honest - but I sometimes think some of the comments I've heard down the years about Bolero come from snobbery: "It's so popular, that it can't be any good". It wouldn't be the only work to suffer that fate, for sure.

Yes most of the conductors Cloughie cites have brought something special to it: I hope highlighting like this, might encourage us to sit down and listen to it as more than "just" the filler on Ravel discs - to my mind, that sells the piece short (rather like playing a late Haydn symphony at the start of a concert).

I've just ordered a study score!

[Bryn]

I've just ordered a study score!

http://imslp.eu/files/imglnks/euimg/8/87/IMSLP421137-PMLP03667-Ravel_Bolero.pdf

or there's the manuscript: http://imslp.eu/files/imglnks/euimg/...b550064294.pdf

[Pulcinella]

http://imslp.eu/files/imglnks/euimg/...vel_Bolero.pdf

or there's the manuscript: http://imslp.eu/files/imglnks/euimg/...b550064294.pdf

Ah! Should have thought of that, especially as the Wiki article talks about copyright.

Still nice to have my own copy.

[FFRR]

Hello everyone - my first post here! (I'll pop over and do an intro. later...)

My father also had the Rignold LP with the somewhat conical young woman on the cover! It was all part of my education...

I've just tried the Monteux (it's available to stream from You know where) and although superbly played and recorded, I find I prefer the 1977 Concertgebouw/Haitink (also online...) The Concertgebouw acoustic is much more expansive and in the closing pages the trumpets really shine, over the relentless tread of the rest of the orchestra. The final bars have tremendous weight and impact. It's been available in various couplings over the years - mine is in a Philips Duo which includes most of Ravel's orchestral works - a certain entry for the 'favourite Haitink recordings thread.

[Pulcinella]

Hello everyone - my first post here! (I'll pop over and do an intro. later...)

My father also had the Rignold LP with the somewhat conical young woman on the cover! It was all part of my education...

I've just tried the Monteux (it's available to stream from You know where) and although superbly played and recorded, I find I prefer the 1977 Concertgebouw/Haitink (also online...) The Concertgebouw acoustic is much more expansive and in the closing pages the trumpets really shine, over the relentless tread of the rest of the orchestra. The final bars have tremendous weight and impact. It's been available in various couplings over the years - mine is in a Philips Duo which includes most of Ravel's orchestral works - a certain entry for the 'favourite Haitink recordings thread.

Welcome aboard!
I misread your post as comical, but then realised that you are probably referring to the shape of the outfit that she's wearing!

Haitink's Ravel recordings have indeed deservedly had their supporters on the 'favourites' thread!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Hello everyone - my first post here! (I'll pop over and do an intro. later...)

Welcome to the forum, FFRR. (Shouldn’t it be FFSS in the modern era?)

[Pulcinella]

Welcome aboard!
I misread your post as comical, but then realised that you are probably referring to the shape of the outfit that she's wearing!

Haitink's Ravel recordings have indeed deservedly had their supporters on the 'favourites' thread!

Actually, maybe not; it is quite comical.

https://www.discogs.com/Hugo-Rignold-Bolero/release/5098994

(I don't know how to import the image, but I'm sure some kind soul such as Bryn will do the necessary for me!)

[Bryn]

If using Windows, in this case, click on the little image, then on the larger one generated to get it even larger, then right-click on the new large image and select "copy image location". Now initiate a reply to this thread, select the "Insert Image" button (three in from the right, above the typing window) further select "From URL" in the drop-down window, paste the image location you saved into the URL space, remove the tick from "Retrieve remote file and reference locally" and hit "OK". That should do the trick. Like learning to ride a bike, you might fall off, once or twice, before you get the hang of it.

[Bryn]

Ah! Should have thought of that, especially as the Wiki article talks about copyright.

Still nice to have my own copy.

Anyone in the UK who wants to download the score from IMSLP had better act before we become the 51st state. While it is out of copyright in Europe, it is still protected in the U.S. of A.