Aldeburgh Festival - Ravel's La Valse

An orchestral journey of bold originality from the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra at the Aldeburgh Festival: Elizabeth Ogonek’s joyful, light-filled dances, Ravel’s jazz-inspired brilliance, and Ryan Wigglesworth’s time-bending concerto. Steven Osborne shines across playful Ravel and introspective Wigglesworth piano concertos.

Elizabeth Ogonek’s All These Lighted Things asks the orchestra to dance, drawing fascinating new sounds from every instrument. The composer remarks that the piece is about the casting away of darkness; that it expresses an “overwhelming…happiness and joy”.

Ravel had a revelatory visit to the United States in 1928, where he heard George Gershwin at the Cotton Club in Harlem. He gave a lecture the same year, instructing American musicians to “Take Jazz Seriously!”, and took his own advice by paying a generous tribute to it in his sassy, sumptuous Piano Concerto in G. A few years earlier, Ravel had composed La Valse, a kind of “biography” of the waltz from elegant beginning to increasingly wild end.

Ryan Wigglesworth’s Piano Concerto slowly awakens into an intriguing soundworld, then looks back through musical history. Piano and orchestra engage in a quizzical, sometimes combative conversation on the subject of folksongs, chorales, and gigues.

Steven Osborne’s versatile and responsive style is perfect for both concertos: the playful Ravel and the intriguing, understated Wigglesworth.

Presented by Andrew McGregor, recorded at Snape Maltings Concert Hall on 14 June.

Elizabeth Ogonek: All These Lighted Things (three little dances for orchestra)
Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major
interval
Ryan Wigglesworth: Piano Concerto
Ravel: La valse

Steven Osborne, piano
Ryan Wigglesworth, conductor
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

To listen on most smart speakers, just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Radio 3 in Concert".