Movements from the Mother Goose Suite    

Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)

Written in 1908 as a piano duet for the Godebski children, Mimi and Jean, Ravel's Mother Goose Suite was inspired by five French fairytales.

The work opens with a stately pavane which is danced at the bedside of the sleeping princess.  In the third movement, Laideronette's Pagodas, which are little porcelain figures with nodding heads, sing and play for their Empress on lutes and viols made from nutshells,

whilst she bathes.  Finally, we overhear a conversation between Beauty and the Beast.

Beauty is portrayed first, by a charming waltz theme and then the Beast by a descending chromatic passage in the bass.  As they learn to love each other, we hear both themes skilfully intertwined.  Finally, there is a beautiful glissando and the music acquires an ethereal quality as the enchantment is broken and the Beast is transformed back into a prince.

© Apollo Recordings 2001