A fascination with his Spanish heritage would be a recurring theme in many of Ravel’s creations. Mysterious melodies weave delicately throughout his early work Rapsodie espagnole, punctuated by bursts of Spanish-inspired fanfares and Habanera dance rhythms.

The voluptuous flute opening of the Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune immediately conjures a world of luxurious fantasy, weaving through the music’s changing scenes with effortless spontaneity. Every instrument adds something unique, and the whole work appears to float free of form and convention.

In La mer, Debussy tells the story of the eternal odyssey of the ocean. He sails through storm and calm, wind and rain, in music that rises and falls with the rhythms of the sea. The score is so vivid that you can almost smell sea salt and see the crests of the waves.

Composer Claude Debussy; Maurice Ravel
Conductor François-Xavier Roth
Performers London Symphony Orchestra

Ravel: Rapsodie espagnole
1. I. Prélude à la nuit
2. II. Malagueña
3. III. Habanera
4. IV. Feria

5. Debussy: Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune

Debussy: La mer 
6. I. De l'aube à midi sur la mer
7. II. Jeux de vagues
8. III. Dialogue du vent et de la mer

Release Date 23 October 2020
LSO0821 | 0822231182122
LSO0821-D | 0822231182160

Producer Nicholas Parker
Engineers Jonathan Stokes and Neil Hutchinson for Classic Sound Ltd
Recorded 25 January 2018 (Prélude), 25 & 28 March 2018 (La mer) and 25 April 2019 (Rapsodie espagnole), in the Barbican Hall, London.

Booklet in English, French & German

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