Behind the Music: Ravel's "Daphnis et Chloé" (complete)

February 15-17 features an all-French program featuring pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet. Closing the program is a work that's long been a staple of the BSO repertoire, Ravel's ballet score Daphnis et Chloé, a tourde- force of orchestral coloration and dramatic atmosphere the composer felt was one of his best works. These concerts mark the 90th anniversary of Ravel's conducting the BSO while visiting America in 1928.
Performed February 15-17, 2018 at Symphony Hall
Video produced by Anthony Princiotti.

[@mikebel74]

Wow. That brought tears to my eyes. Ravel has long been my favorite composer. His output may not have been large, but everything he produced was an exquisitely polished jewel. Unique and completely original. I was swept away the first time I heard his Introduction and Allegro on my grandfather’s hi-if in 1976. My love for the music of Ravel has never waned. No matter what I’m doing or what I’m thinking, if I hear strains of Gaspard de la Nuit or Daphnis et Chloe or Rhapsodie Espagnol, I’m transported to another much better place. The beautiful starry night and the beautiful sleeping lake. A warm night in Spain or the Ancient Greece of the imagination. Transcendent, transformative music for the ages. Although I never knew you, I thank you, Maurice Ravel.

[@finlybenyunes8385]

Ditto: a great and indispensable composer! France's good fortune to produce Ravel and Debussy in the same era...

[@Smin-f3h]

Ravel is my favorite composer! Thank you for doing this!

[@NealSchultz]

I still return to Charles Dutoit with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra for my standard - this work remains in my top 50 Classical best-of-all-time.

[@danielpincus221]

Who is the magisterial narrator?