Orchestral Music 1 [CD]

Ravel orchestrated his piano pieces Alborada del gracioso and Pavane pour une infante defunte to great effect; the former gains in suggestive color and the latter evokes nostalgic pathos. Another orchestrated work is the Menuet antique which is redolent of old French dance forms. Rapsodie espagnole Ravel's first major orchestral work shimmers with expectancy and bursts into Spanish dance rhythms themes he pursued in Piece en forme de habanera. His earliest orchestral work the 'fairy overture' Sheherazade is all that remains of a planned opera based on the Thousand and One Nights. The famous Bolero an 'orchestrated crescendo' of undimmed power has proved one of the most popular works in all classical music.