More like waterboarding than immersion: France-Musique's "Bolero Day"

[Nick Armstrong]

I've never been particularly against the R3 'immersion' concepts, and never a hater of Ravel's Bolero - I can take both from time to time.

But the idea that just because Bolero is very recently out of copyright, a whole day should be devoted to it, does seem cruel and unusual. Not R3 fortunately...



Anyone think it's a brilliant idea....?

[Tapiola]

I've never been particularly against the R3 'immersion' concepts, and never a hater of Ravel's Bolero - I can take both from time to time.

But the idea that just because Bolero is very recently out of copyright, a whole day should be devoted to it, does seem cruel and unusual. Not R3 fortunately...



Anyone think it's a brilliant idea....?

nope!



I like the piece de temps en temps aussi, mais...

If it had been La Valse though...

[french frank]

does seem cruel and unusual.

"Roger, thou should'st be living at this hour …"

A one-hour programme possibly - but this is just a 'celebration', I suppose, since recorded performances will presumably still be in copyright - no R3 podcasts of the complete work

[Beef Oven!]

Yes, I for one think it's a good idea. It's a fabulous piece of music (a desert islander for me) and a real music-landmark. An hour and people will quickly forget it, or come back later - this way is unavoidable!

[ahinton]

nope!



I like the piece de temps en temps aussi, mais...

If it had been La Valse though...

Ah, indeed - a sentiment that would no doubt have been endorsed by Constant Lambert who, in his 1934 book Music Ho!, wrote that "there is a definite limit to the length of time a composer can go on writing in one dance rhythm (this limit is obviously reached by Ravel towards the end of La valse and towards the beginning of Bolero).

[ahinton]

"Roger, thou should'st be living at this hour …"

Do you mean Mr Nichols?...

[Beef Oven!]

Do you mean Mr Nichols?...

No, Mr Bannister. He always tried to get it all over and done in under four minutes.

[Petrushka]

No, Mr Bannister. He always tried to get it all over and done in under four minutes.

[ahinton]

No, Mr Bannister. He always tried to get it all over and done in under four minutes.

Quite Wright!

[MrGongGong]

Anyone think it's a brilliant idea....?

YES

It's such a rarely done piece

I might make a 24 hour time stretched version if anyone is interested?

[Beef Oven!]

YES

It's such a rarely done piece

I might make a 24 hour time stretched version if anyone is interested?

Nah, yer alright.

[ahinton]

Why not Chopin's Bolero intead (albeit by no means one of his best pieces)...

[Alain Maréchal]

In 1932 Janet Flanner wrote in her New Yorker Letter from Paris: "those who thought a bolero was a short bright jacket for fancy dress should think again. According to Ravel it is a long black crepe cape with a train the length of a hall carpet, worn exclusively when walking to funerals".

Sibelius wrote a lively one, complete with castanets.

[Nick Armstrong]

No, Mr Bannister. He always tried to get it all over and done in under four minutes.

I'm proud of the Forum that no one rose to this bait by referring to Mrs Bannister....

Oh wait...

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I'm proud of the Forum that no one rose to this bait by referring to Mrs Bannister....

Oh wait...

Some of us made use of the "cancel" button