This contribution follows the usual pattern of this excellent series. Part I deals with Ravel’s “culture and aesthetic”, that is to say his cultural, not merely musical, inheritance, and his taste for the exotic, especially the arts of the Far East and South East Asia, but also Madagascar and Spain. Part II looks at his piano music, harmony in his chamber pieces, his orchestration, the ballets, and the music for voices including his operas.
The last section considers performances of his works ‐ audio recordings being crucial evidence in this respect ‐ and his impact on other twentieth‐century composers. An appendix quotes fascinating extracts from early reviews of performances of some of the major works. The musical examples are very clear and apposite; most earlier volumes in the series had other, often poorly reproduced illustrations, but this one has none. Only works mentioned in text are indexed: complete work lists would have been useful throughout this series. For those who have tended to regard Ravel as a superb craftsman and a brilliant orchestrater and composer for the piano, but as one with little warmth and substance (and I must confess to having at times been among their number), this series of essays gives a more considered judgment and will repay close attention.
