MAURICE RAVEL (1875-1937)
Boléro (1928)
Ravel composed and Nijinsky choreographed the ballet Boléro for the legendary dancer Ida Rubinstein, and its Parisian premiere caused a sensation. Ravel himself once described it as “an experiment…consisting wholly of orchestral tissue without music—one long, very gradual crescendo.” Two short measures repeat over and over to the hypnotic beat of the snare drum—which becomes the focal point of the entire work—starting softly, increasing in intensity and volume, and reaching a powerful climax some 17 minutes later. Ravel’s self-deprecating comment notwithstanding, there is genius in the orchestration—shifting combinations of instruments that are layered over each other to create rich and ever richer sonorities. The result is nothing short of exhilarating. “The ideal is an absolutely steady beat that never wavers—that you lay down for all to follow—a seamless crescendo from the nearly inaudible beginning to the final explosion of sound,” says New York Philharmonic’s Principal Percussionist Christopher Lamb, who will play the snare drum, “but the reality is that Boléro is an ensemble piece requiring compromise between the drum and the rest of the orchestra. We have to listen to each other, especially at the beginning, when the first few solos are played so softly. It’s a combination of locking in the rhythm, while leaving room for some give-and-take.” Boléro’s non-stop drumming also makes it a test of a percussionist’s endurance. “I prepare for that in a number of ways. To remind myself of what 17 minutes feels like I play along with a Boléro recording, and I practice my listening skills by improvising along with jazz recordings.” And then there’s the question of concentration during the performance. “I keep my music in front of me, even though it’s only two measures, and refer to it occasionally to ‘reboot’ … to stay in the ‘zone’.” While Boléro is “a big deal” for some percussionists, Christopher Lamb says “I enjoy it! It’s fun to play!”

Lorin Maazel, who has led more than 150 orchestras in more than 5,000 opera and concert performances, became Music Director of the New York Philharmonic in September 2002. His appointment came 60 years after his debut with the Orchestra at Lewisohn Stadium, then the Orchestra’s summer venue. As Music Director he has conducted seven World Premiere–NewYork Philharmonic Commissions, including the Pulitzer Prize– and Grammy Award–winning On the Transmigration of Souls by John Adams; Stephen Hartke’s Symphony No. 3; and Melinda Wagner’s Trombone Concerto. He has led cycles of works by Brahms, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky; and he conducted the Orchestra’s inaugural performances in the DG Concerts series — a groundbreaking initiative to offer downloadable New York Philharmonic concerts exclusively on iTunes.

Mr. Maazel has taken the Orchestra on numerous international tours, including the historic visit to Pyongyang, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, in February 2008 — the first performance there by an American orchestra, and an event watched around the world. Other recent tours have included Asia 2008 — to Taipei, Kaohsiung, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing; the May 2007 Tour of Europe; the November 2006 visit to Japan and Korea; the Philharmonic Tour of Italy in June 2006, sponsored by Generali; the two-part 75th Anniversary European Tour to thirteen cities in five countries in the fall of 2005; and residencies in Cagliari, Sardinia, and at the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival in Colorado.

In addition to the New York Philharmonic, Mr. Maazel is music director of the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia in Valencia, Spain. A frequent conductor on the world’s operatic stages, he returned to The Metropolitan Opera in January 2008 for the first time in 45 years to conduct Wagner’s Die Walküre.

Prior to his tenure as New York Philharmonic Music Director, Mr. Maazel led more than 100 performances of the Orchestra as a guest conductor. He served as music director of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (1993–2002), and has held positions as music director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (1988–96); general manager and chief conductor of the Vienna Staatsoper (1982–84); music director of The Cleveland Orchestra (1972–82); and artistic director and chief conductor of the Deutsche Oper Berlin (1965–71). He is an honorary member of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and an honorary member of the Vienna Philharmonic. On February 17, 2009, he will be named a Commander of the Legion of Honor by the government of France.

A second-generation American, born in Paris, Mr. Maazel was raised and educated in the United States. He took his first violin lesson at age five, and first conducting lesson at seven. Between ages 9 and 15 he conducted most of the major American orchestras. In 1953 he made his European conducting debut in Catania, Italy.

Mr. Maazel is also an accomplished composer. His opera, 1984, received its world premiere on May 3, 2005, at London’s Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. It was revived in the 2007–08 season at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, and has been released on DVD by Decca.

JOSHUA BELL, violin, born in 1967 in Bloomington, Indiana
In concerts and on recordings Joshua Bell’s bold, charismatic artistry continues to bring a fresh voice to the most venerable masterpieces and new works, as with the 2007 premiere of The Red Violin Concerto. “Joshua plays like a god,” exclaimed an exuberant John Corigliano when he won the 2000 Oscar for Best Original Score for The Red Violin. Bell is also featured on the soundtracks for Ladies in Lavender and new films, Angels & Demons and Defiance. His jaw-dropping technique and poetic musicality have been captivating audiences for more than two decades and have brought him many honors and distinctions. Having appeared in the most amazingly different places, from Sesame Street to People Magazine (which profiled him in its Most Beautiful People in the World issue), he is known and admired around the globe. His multifaceted musical interests have taken him in exciting new directions, exemplified recently by his first duets CD, Joshua Bell At Home With Friends, featuring Chris Botti, Sting, Kristin Chenoweth, Anoushka Shankar, Marvin Hamlisch, and Tiempo Libre, among others. Growing up on a farm in Indiana, Joshua Bell indulged in many passions outside of music as a child, becoming an avid computer game player and a competitive athlete. He received his first violin at age four and by age 12 was serious about the instrument, thanks to the inspiration of renowned pedagogue Josef Gingold. He gained national attention at age 14 when he debuted with the Philadelphia Orchestra. A subsequent Carnegie Hall debut, the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant, and a recording contract further secured his stature in the music world. He plays the 1713 “Gibson ex-Huberman” Stradivarius, which has a past filled with mystery: twice it was stolen from its prior owner, the Polish virtuoso Bronislaw Huberman. It was not until 1985 that the thief—a minor New York violinist—made a deathbed confession to his wife and produced the instrument.

“Bell is simply dazzling.” Gramophone

“No one stands in Mr. Bell’s shadow.” The New York Times

“Pure bliss!” Associated Press

“Joshua Bell is the greatest American violinist active today.” The Boston Herald

Find additional upcoming performances with Joshua Bell