One of the most famous pieces of music by the French composer Maurice Ravel is his Bolero, which apparently arose almost by chance and there is also a belief or legend that perhaps its composition is related to some dementia problems that the composer suffered. . Let’s get to know a little better, the story behind Ravel’s famous bolero: curiosities and characteristics.
The story behind Ravel’s famous bolero: curiosities and characteristics
An immeasurable piece that is inspired by the Spanish dance of the same name, Ravel’s Bolero is one of the best-known musical works by Maurice Ravel (1875-1937), which we have heard in countless film productions, advertisements and even video games .
The composition emerged in 1928 when the Russian dancer Ida Rubinstein asked the French composer to compose a ballet score transcribed from Isaac Albéniz’s set of piano pieces, Iberia.
While working on the transcription, Ravel realized there were copyright issues, so she decided to write an entirely new piece in a Spanish style. The French composer managed to compose the impressive 17-minute Bolero and although he considered it a risk at the time, it has finally been recognized as his most famous musical composition.
The bolero that inspired the title of Ravel’s work is a 3/4 dance that originated in Spain in the late 18th century. Ravel’s one-movement orchestral work was originally called Fandango , but since it had rhythmic similarities to the 3/4 Spanish dance form, it changed its name to Bolero.
Following its composition, Ravel’s Bolero premiered at the Paris Opera on November 22, 1928. The composition was considered a sensational success and was acclaimed by an overwhelming and enthusiastic audience.
Ravel’s dementia
Maurice Ravel suffered from a degenerative brain disease during the last years of his life and it is said that the disease may have influenced the composition of his famous Boléro. The left side of the composer’s brain stopped working properly and this may have caused Ravel to further develop his ability to create melodies, leading him to favor more rhythmic works.
The popular use of Ravel’s Bolero
Since its composition, Ravel’s Bolero has been used in countless films and events, although perhaps among the most remembered is when the Boléro sounds in film 10, the Perfect Woman (1979) while the character played by Bo Derek seduces the character. by Dudley Moore.
The work was also used as backing music for the gold medal-winning performance at the 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics by British ice dancers Torvill and Dean. The pair became the highest-scoring figure skaters of all time and received twelve perfect 6.0s and six 5.9s for their performance.
In the world of video games , the composition has also been used and in fact, it was adapted for the “intro” of the classic The Legend of Zelda.
