Maurice Ravel - Sir Neville Marriner / Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields – Bolero / Hänssler Classic CD Audio 1995

UPC 4010276006237

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Joseph Maurice Ravel was a French composer, pianist and conductor.

He is often associated with impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composers rejected the term. In Ravel's piano compositions you can find harpsichord style ideas, references to the Baroque, impressionist procedures and reminiscences of romantic pianism. His music is characterized by a refined timbre and harmonic research; even if its layered and dissonant harmonic structures still remain in the tonal sphere, the traditional harmonic relationships are brought to an extreme tension (particularly in the last works). His orchestral compositions are detached from the Germanic symphonic tradition, in these works the rhythmic and timbral elements are highlighted as well as themes inspired by Spanish folklore can be found.
Ravel's entire production, from the youthful and brilliant "Quartet for strings" (1902-1903) to the "Piano Concerto for the left hand" of 1931, is a succession of precious works that are to be considered among the masterpieces of the music of twentieth century

In the 1920s and 1930s Ravel was internationally regarded as France's greatest living composer.

Neville Marriner
British conductor, violinist, and professor (born April 15, 1924, Lincoln, England and died October 2, 2016).
He studied at the Royal College of Music, London and Conservatoire National Supérieur De Musique Et De Danse De Paris. While a student, he joined The London Symphony Orchestra (in 1941). He was briefly a music teacher at Eton College Chapel. In 1948, he became a professor of the Royal College of Music. In 1948 or 1949, he took up the position of second violinist of the Martin String Quartet, continuing to play with the quartet for 13 years. Founder of the Virtuoso String Trio. Marriner joined The Jacobean Ensemble in 1951. He played the violin in two London orchestras: the Philharmonia Orchestra (1952-?), and the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) as principal second violin (1954–69). In 1958, he founded The Academy Of St. Martin-in-the-Fields (being its conductor and lead violin in early 1960s, before focusing to conducting), and his partnership with them is the most recorded of any orchestra and conductor. Marriner was the founder and first music director of The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, from 1969 to 1978. From 1979 to 1986, he was music director of the Minnesota Orchestra. He was principal conductor of the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1986 to 1989.
Marriner was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1979. He was created a Knight Bachelor in 1985. In the 2015 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH). He was appointed an officer of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
Father of Andrew Marriner (from his first marriage with cellist, and later antiquarian bookseller, Diana Carbutt).