Ravel: Boléro, M. 81

Ravel’s iconic orchestral work gets a fresh treatment here. There’s an understated yet committed quality to the playing, from the opening snare drum that takes the infectious rhythm, heard throughout the piece, at a steady pace, as preferred by the composer himself. From there, conductor Gustavo Dudamel elicits a hypnotic atmosphere as the flute unfurls the opening theme. The power of this piece, Dudamel tells Apple Music Classical, lies in its simplicity: “you have one rhythm and two melodies, and for about 16 minutes the listener is carried through a crescendo of colours. Each time the melody returns, it takes on a new shade, shaped instinctively by the interpreter.” This is superbly demonstrated in this recording, where you can hear not only the distinctive colour of each instrument taking up the melody—including a seductively resonant tenor saxophone—but also the characterful way that each soloist plays it. “Meanwhile, the crescendo is getting bigger,” continues Dudamel, “building toward that climactic tutti, a moment I can only describe as nirvana.”