Sample played by London Brass

20002 – Bolero

Maurice Ravel (1875 – 1937)

Arranged by Roger Harvey

Difficulty: Hard

Price: £35.00

(8tpts; 4hns; 6 trbs; euph; 2 tuba; timps/perc)

Programme notes:

This piece has been described simply as one long crescendo but this is to ignore the hypnotic effect that is has always managed to cast over its audience, since its first performance as a ballet in 1928. It holds an especially unique place in the repertoire; there is nothing else quite like it.

It is, in its original form, a tour de force of orchestration to match Ravel’s version of ‘Pictures of an Exhibition and his orchestrations of his own piano music.

A version for brass can, of course, come nowhere near the orchestral version in terms of colour and texture but the various timbres of the brass section are, nevertheless, surprisingly varied.

The subtleties and virtuosity of the original are not missed and in the final stages little is missed in terms of sheer power.

A version of the piece was made for the first recording project undertaken by London Brass on its convention from The Philip Jones Brass Ensemble in 1986. It was recorded using only the 10 players of the group and then overdubbed. This is a slightly revised version of the one used for the recording.

Performance notes:

The ‘extra’ players on each part can either stick to their own parts or if required share the main parts.

Try to get as much variety in the muted solo sounds as possible.

A figure 8, the harmon muted trumpets should create and almost inaudible layer of harmonics within the sound of the horn solo.

20002A Bolero

(5tpt; 4hn; 4trb; 2tuba; organ; timps/perc)