Classical music meets the machine. Episode 23 - Boléro by Maurice Ravel

A steady beat and a catchy tune are unremarkable these days, but when Ravel wrote Boléro, repetition was radical. Did Ravel predict the future of popular music in a brilliant lightbulb moment? Or was he just being, well, a bit lazy? Is it deceptively complex or outrageously simple? Or both? What does Boléro tell us about how this eccentric French composer ticked? Let’s find out…
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Listen to the piece in full, and enjoy Classical Music.
Composer: Maurice Ravel
Work: Boléro
Performer: New York Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Pierre Boulez
Year: 2010
Label: Sony

[@ClassicsExplained]

If you want to see more Classics Explained episodes, please consider supporting us on Patreon. You can pretend you're a 17th century lord patronising a court musician.

[@aashishharijan1780]

Okies

[@cbgeary]

DO BALLETS RUSSES BY SERGEI DIAGHILEV NEXT, PLEASE!!!

[@robertmatch6550]

The world creates a needed niche for autistic percussionists.

[@TristanMA]

@@cbgeary More importantly try Firebird and Petrushka next.

[@kirstendonovan4092]

I hope it works ​@@TristanMA

[@aadog28]

Poor percussionist has to just play the same rhythm for 16 minutes over 100 times

[@user-gi8pk9uc7q]

Yeah, i can see why that would be rather boring!

[@ceejay0137]

With a very, very slow crescendo. The volume of the snare drum has to increase otherwise the rest of the orchestra would drown it out.

[@robertopatino6646]

In crescendo

[@yddra1732]

Well actually it changes a little bit with the modulation, for like 20 bars before the end..... So you are graced with like 40s of diversity after 13mins of playing the same 4 bars on repeat and the chance to fuck it up because you forgot!

[@davidwalterhall]

Almost every musical tradition in the world features some kind of repetitive percussive rhythm most of the time (I'm including strumming), with Western Classical being a rare exception. Most drummers are playing a beat. Bolero is one of the exceptions to the exception. I suppose your point is that there aren't any fills. In any other musical tradition the drummer would play some fills, even if they weren't written. Again, Western Classical is a curious outlier.

[@kern9422]

the smoke cloud at 0:25 is hilarious bc i know it would have been ***very painful*** to actually animate that

[@nxcromxncer]

Fr

[@pinkchanelgirl5]

I LOVE another episode of classics explained. Benjamin is such a great narrator. I love his voice 😍😍😍

[@rufuscove1443]

I agree with you! I recently discovered this channel and I am a super fan now 😊 Benjamin you are a genius

[@Superphilipp]

The Horns, Celeste and Piccolo aren't playing in completely unrelated keys. The transpositions are derived from the overtone series .... similar to an organ mixture, as you mentioned.

[@jwithy]

Babe, wake up. New classics explained just dropped

[@uriahlegutki2257]

Npc copypaste ahh comment ☠️

[@huailiulin]

@@uriahlegutki2257 ngl idc

[@LISZT-]

​@@uriahlegutki2257you said this comment is NPC, bur you use the most NPC words

[@TristanMA]

Ravel's Bolero is, in essence, a backstory to Bizet's Carmen, and an Outer-Space ballet in the manner of Holst's Mars from The Planets.

[@scaper8]

I wish I could like this comment more than once.

[@minnieyuyantung]

so ravel wrote a prequel fan fiction base on bizet's Carmen?

[@partituravid]

uh, what? Definitely not Carmen-related.

[@scaper8]

@partituravid Not directly, no, but the idea of a sexy, enchanting Gypsy woman doing a seductive dance certainly calls to mind _Carmen_ to a moder listener.

[@davidbrewer9030]

I red that Ravel was so tired of people wanting to hear Bolero that he got angry and said something like "You know, I have written other things!"

[@kininiwong5350]

Brandenburg Concrtos next please!

[@jddrew1000]

YESSSS

[@TristanMA]

@@jddrew1000 The Third Brandenurg Concerto belongs in Christmas , along with Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, Christmas Oratorio, Pastorale in F Major for Organ, Variation on Vom Himmel Hoch, Sheep May Safely Graze, Sleepers Wake, & Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland.

[@kagitsune]

I've heard the dementia explanation too. I'm glad that there's more to it than that!

[@TheMovieCreator]

Funfact, Koji Kondo wanted to use Bolero as the title theme of the first Legend of Zelda game back in... checks notes... 1985/86!

[@XtTapelatakettle]

And the funny thing is that it was only about a month away from the public domain as well.

[@TheMovieCreator]

@@XtTapelatakettle That's a little bit of a stretch tho, the "about a month" claim is assuming the International release date and Japanese copyright laws. The Japanese release was in February 1986, one and three quarters of a year before it would have become public domain in Japan (and Japan only).

[@gab_v250]

Yeah, the Legend of Zelda main theme is heavily inspired by Bolero for this reason (down to the rhythm)

[@KCSutherland]

Some absolutely stellar animations here, beautifully abstract while telling the story of the piece perfectly.

[@lopenash]

"His father was an engineer" And suddenly everything falls into place

[@mouf725]

They forgot to mention that he was Swiss as well, so that might also explain the love for meticulous design and timekeeping as I have heard described before!

[@TristanMA]

I showed this to my mom and she said the following: "I have always had a hard time understanding what got into Ravel to create this looong piece. This historical personal background and the animation featuring multiple assembly lines made it all make sense for the first time ever! Brilliant!". I pointed out to her that it has the same ostinato as Holst's Mars in The Planets, and now we are both wondering if there is a connection there.

[@colonelweird]

This is the first classical piece I heard as a child - played on the Moog synthesizer. I was fascinated. Then a few years later when it came to be associated with a nude Bo Derek, I took a rather different sort of interest in it. I heard Bolero was meant to simulate rising sexual tension, with rhythmic movement reaching a moment of climax. Maybe that was a line from 10? I don't recall. But I never forgot Bolero.

[@aleksimakinen8073]

This is an amazing concept! Please keep making more.

[@jiafeiskinnyproducts]

RAVEL!!! YES!!!!!!!

[@thomasrinschler6783]

Thanks for pointing out the horns - celeste - piccolo section. It's one of my favorite parts, too, with how eerie it sounds. That and the trumpets coming in fortissimo near the end are the sections I most anticipate when listening to the piece.

[@KibblezanBitz]

I love this piece, probably the first classical piece I ever went out of my way to listen to. I'd read in a completely unrelated context that they used the piece in the show Digimon of all things, and, having been a fan of that show as a child, got curious and gave it a listen, and got hooked. It's inspired me to listen to other classical pieces since then, so I'm really happy to see that you've done a video on it.

[@existentialcrisis7718]

This channel deserves way more viewers and subscribers. the quality of the animation is really good and the narrator continues to do an amazing job.

[@teodoragradinaru8572]

I guessed it!🎉 The image from community looked soooo iconic that made me think immediately about Ravel.😊

[@humanfingers]

BASQUE MENTIONED RAHHHHHH💪💪💪💪 No but for real, love me some ravel

[@TristanMA]

This is your second Ravel survey after his orchestration of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. Ravel also did Mother Goose, Pavane for a Deceased Princess, Tombeu de Couperin, and La Valse. Ida Rubinstein performed the role of Zobeide in Fokine's version of Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade.

[@Hailey_Paige_1937]

You forgot Daphnis et Chloé!! Fantastic work of his.

[@TristanMA]

1970s and 1980s saw the the rise of Tintinabulation under Arvo Part, John Rutter's mature carols, and John Tavener's Holy Minimalism.

[@alex9920iasi]

Very nice piece of modern music. I remembered when I was in highschool and I brought a CD with famous classical music pieces to school and we all listened to Ravel's Bolero during a French class. My French teacher told us that Bolero is such a popular piece of music, that every 3 minutes someone in this world is listening to it. Its that true?

[@craigbrush5784]

Absolutely wonderful as always. Get this important content in schools.

[@coreysierchio4650]

My memory of this song is listening to it while my father drove us to his old stomping ground to visit his friends. My father would usually play classical music & I distinctly remember him "singing" along with the beat snare drum.

[@sirbarryrogers8411]

Isn't it disappointing that RAVEL has composed a lot of other works, much more elaborated than BOLERO, and that people only know him for BOLERO???

[@emilyglass5313]

Makes me wonder how Holst felt when he composed other suites (e.g. The Japanese Suite), but people only recognize him as the guy who wrote The Planets.

[@justintuccimusic]

Great video 🤵🏻‍♂️👏🏼

[@TristanMA]

You mentioned Toscanini. He was at the premiere of Puccini's Turandot (completed by Alfano) and conducted the American premiere of Respighi's Pines of Rome.

[@thepostapocalyptictrio4762]

Yeah!! You’re back!! And you brought Ravel with you this time!! Woow!!

[@jarekwrzosek2048]

I didn't expect Max Rebo of all the cameos! Still, excellent job as always Classics Explained. Bravissimo!

[@curtisdaniel9294]

Bravo! A Most Brilliant Explanation of this Piece. Thank You Ever So Much. 💙😊

[@TristanMA]

You mentioned Shostakovich. He wrtoe the Second Piano Concerto (whose first movement was set to an animated Adapation of Hans Christian Anderson's The Steadfast Tin Soldier), and the Seventh Symphony "Leningrad", among other works.

[@LittleB2007]

I would've loved to see Maurice Béjart's exquisite solo ballet piece included here but, well, T&D's Sarajevo performance may well take the cake! Wonderful video.

[@elizabethwarne2379]

I love Bolero so much in can’t wait for this video!

[@IntegralKing]

I love the whimsical animations! I wish you had done Gaspard de la Nuit, though! My daughter Ondine would be so pleased haha

[@sasstsuma1467]

Yeah this piece is really popular among figure skaters!

[@mybachhertzbaud3074]

This is a very entertaining synopsis of both Ravel and Bolero. Thank you.😁🎶🎹🎶Play On

[@SplittingProductions]

One of my favorite pieces! The simplicity of the theme being repeated for 15 minutes yet it is always interesting from it's build and you never get bored of it makes it truly a masterpiece. Also think Shostakovich has a symphony that does a similar thing, but cant remember which one.

[@erind9535]

The first movement of Shostakovich's Symphony #7 does something similar.

[@liamannegarner8083]

​@@erind9535Leningrad, right?

[@erind9535]

@@liamannegarner8083 Yes

[@1TitanicFan1]

Wonderful video as always, keep up the amazing work, and have a fantastic day!

[@SrSacaninha]

Thank you! Brilliant, as usual! Plase, find it in your heart to do Pärt's Cantus in memoriam of Benjamin Britten next. It's one of the saddest pieces of music ever imo, and I would love to see how your comic style would tackle it.

[@raguifarag7709]

This is your best video so far

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thank you so much

[@hagerty1952]

Excellent, as always. However, I believe it was Bo Derek's character that introduced Dudley Moore to Bolero, not the other way around.

[@aadog28]

Lol Nintendo reference at 6:27

[@rolandocuevas7189]

Brava-Bravo!!!,.... Bolero!!! Tim

[@zjschrage]

Some Bruckner next!

[@Gr84you]

Love it!

[@88franko]

I really appreciate all the work you put into these videos. They're both entertaining and educational.

[@Nogdev]

Excellent video as always! Boléro was one of the first classical music pieces I've listened to when I seriously started exploring the genre back in 2016, and it has been one of my favourties even since. Loved the parallel between the music and the precise machines; made me wonder about Franz Kafka for a minute there. Never knew about the Toscanini bit though; that was absolutely hilarious!

[@lisys511]

I discovered classical music earlier when i was a baby :3

[@eosborne6495]

This is your best animation yet! Funny, informative, brilliant artwork. Bravo!

[@2BiTeddy]

I live the Little Book of Calm (Black Books reference?!)

[@lisys511]

Ravel is one of my favourite composers next to debussy mozart etc… And ravel is sooo cute on this animation :3

[@poorwotan]

I first remember Bolero from the movie 10. Having Bo Derek running down the beach was a bit of MTV before MTV. Would have been viral if it happened today. A whole generation of teen boys realized that classical music was ok actually... lol.

[@gabrielkatz1295]

Another amazing video! Thank you for this wonderful content🙏🏻

[@Cholisztberlix]

I actually cant wait 😍😍😍

[@elleh.790]

Just discovered your channel recently! I really enjoy your videos! Thanks! 🎉😊

[@jacksonelmore6227]

Let’s get you to 100k, your work is valuable and I’d show it to my kids if I had any, listened to Bolero the first time last month after I heard Bernstein say it’s an orchestrational masterclass, at first the piece pissed me off but now I replay it just for its experience I can just let go of the music a bit and let the thing ride higher 😎🙏🥇

[@OmarTravelAdventures]

Brilliant!!!

[@pdqbachfan]

Second. Fantastic vid! Keep them comin’!

[@teodoragradinaru8572]

I loved it! ❤ Sooo great!🎉🎉 Congrats!🎉🎉🎉

[@dedede5586]

i love this piece, thank you for making a video about it!!!

[@pink_jacket]

Love this video, love this channel ❤

[@golden_smaug]

I love this video to bits

[@izzy1221]

This was a great explanation!

[@lisys511]

This is soo awesome and adorable 😸👏💖

[@hm51008]

Awesome animation! Love your content!

[@woodencoyote4372]

Exquisite. What a treat for the ear and the eye!

[@kk_hoshiyomi]

Finally! :D

[@sksk-bd7yv]

Oh, I wish I could've just watched Classics explained instead of being forced into a classroom to "learn"! Those lessons in frustration taught me classical music is boooooring. Turns out I love a lot of classical music. Cheers!

[@teodoragradinaru8572]

I'm curious about what will happen. I'm really excited. ❤

[@LambentOrt]

I love Bolero. I think it's such a daring and subversive composition because of its structure. It's still not as crazy as Satie's Vexations though...

[@bryannguyen8440]

Brahms Requiem would be a great animation. Its beautiful

[@uweshep4578]

So Ravel was on the neurodivergent spectrum. Awesome!

[@kamronbyrd7628]

Can you please do a video about his string quartet? I beg

[@Ayo45]

Great video like always, but can you please explain Mahlers 2nd symphony or his 9th symphony?

[@chip715715]

Yuuuuuuh

[@_rstcm]

Thinking about doing the Roman Trilogy next????

[@justinscaife530]

Always fun and educating content. Please do Darius Milhaud’s Saudades do Brasil!!!!🎉🎉❤❤❤

[@damonkinell-cm3uu]

I saw a video saying that this was the worst piece of classical music ever. I cannot understand how anyone could think that. This piece captivates me from start to finish and the ending always gives me shivers.. even just the snippet at 8:28 was enough to give me goosebumps!

[@monke9742]

Goldberg variations next pls

[@abigailmartin4702]

Do you think you could do one on Brahms Hungarian Dances? They are such a bop! :)

[@supreetsahu1964]

I love this song

[@lisys511]

Piece* not song

[@kirstendonovan4092]

Me too.

[@kranzandstern]

Suggestion: Charles Ives Country Band Suite. Had to play that in college.

[@lisys511]

Ives entered the public domain in the EU this year since he passed away in 1954

[@BennyPaulos]

Nutcracker next please!

[@alex9920iasi]

Can you talk about Rossini's Barber of Seville next, please?

[@nativomusical]

Nicely done, very well explained, but ¿where’s the E major? The chords in that section are E7 and Bm, there is only a D# in the flute, but the whole passage is full of C natural and D natural, and it clearly sounds E dominant, V7 of A (major or minor).

[@ceejay0137]

In the commentary you keep referring to "the melody" as if there was only one. In fact there are two different melodic themes in Bolero. The first one opens the work and is repeated, then there is a second theme which is jazz-based, also repeated. The repeated pairs occur (I think) eight times in total, before the final dramatic outburst. There is also an underlying rhythmical 'bom bom, bom bom' which moves around the orchestra like the other themes, as well as the snare drum rhythm which stays the same throughout. There is a fantastic performance of the piece by the Polish film & television orchestra (AkademiaFilmuiTelewizji) on KZbin, well worth watching.

[@ClassicsExplained]

The melody comprises two melodic themes is the way I’d put it :)

[@victorfontaine3031]

His precision and perfectionism surprises me, didn t Emile de Combes say that Ravel was the laziest student he ever had?

[@ClassicsExplained]

That was Satie he was talking about :)

[@victorfontaine2739]

​@@ClassicsExplainedthanks! Your videos are extraordinary by the way

[@orffrocks5667]

Brilliant, as usual 🙄🤣

[@fazliddinerkaboyev6568]

"Gaspard..." We need.

[@scavenger_of_human_sorrow9272]

When I first saw the thumbnail I thought the video was going to be about 4'33'' by John Cage.

[@adrianvelasco1265]

Mahler 2 pls 👉🏼👈🏼

[@georgeluft7881]

Mahler is number 2 MUST be next! We've been waiting for far too long! 🙏 🙏

[@luisfelipegoncalves4977]

Chopin's Ballade no. 1 next pleeeeeaaaase

[@AnnikaCoyucoCutecats]

Ah yes that music that played in a Digimon movie once

[@daustuff]

ada scene kawan sia la ehem

[@user-gi8pk9uc7q]

I personally rather like Ravel's "Bolero"!

[@Rgoid]

Did Allegro Non Troppo bring anyone here?

[@OziCastle]

Who thinks Scriabin should be next?

[@jscz]

Love your videos! Just to let you know that there's a small error at 8:45 where the subtitles say "tantrum" instead of "tam-tam"

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thank you for picking that up - it's been corrected

[@meganlewis2377]

@@ClassicsExplained Is Bartered Bride, Barber of Seville, Pines of Rome, Finlandia, Bells across the Meadow, Rigoletto, Scottish Fantasy, Kinderszenen, Hungarian Rhapsody and Appalachian Spring coming soon?

[@ClassicsExplained]

One of those is coming up next! An additional two of those are in the making!

[@meganlewis2377]

@@ClassicsExplained Don’t forget Norma!