Irony on the rocks with a twist...

I never heard of him until I heard one of his works. Maurice Ravel is a composer born in the late 19th Century. Why his works remain unremarkable is a mystery to me. Listening to Bolero alone, I am mystified by his subtle genius. It is the same theme, played over and over again in increasing volume with more emphasis. The first is a drum beat, then a flute, then a clarinet, followed by a horn, and so on. As each different instrument picks up the tune, more join in to accompany it. The song goes on for more than 14 minutes repeating the same basic musical theme, but each rendition is different. I have the song on MP3, I could listen to it repeatedly. It is the song that allows me to finally “get” music. It is a metaphor for life, a repetitious march of routine that is carried out differently each and every time. That is the whole point of having a different instrument pick up the theme. It is inspiring and thrilling to find a piece of art that so defines one’s existence as to make them rejoice no matter what. This song does this for me. I would hope Maurice Ravel would approve.

TANSTAAFL!

© 2004, J.S.Brown

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