Search - Ravel, Tilson Thomas :: Bolero / Rhapsodie Espagnole / Fanfare

Tilson Thomas seems to have a special affinity for Ravel's magical fairy tale ballet based on five Mother Goose stories. This piece started out as a series of piano pieces written for children. This in turn grew into an orchestral work and then to a half-hour long ballet with the addition of orchestral interludes between five original pieces. Imaginatively scored for chamber orchestra, it's at the opposite end of the sonic and artistic spectrum from Boléro, and fans of the composer universally consider it among his greatest works. All of the performances here are very good, but Mother Goose has that special, magical quality that sets it apart. It's worth the price of the disc alone. --David Hurwitz