Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé (Complete Ballet) Sinfonia of London Chorus, Sinfonia of London & John Wilson

• Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937): Daphnis et Chloé, M. 57, Première Partie. Une prairie à la lisière d'un bois sacré:
• 1Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé, M. 57, Première Partie. Une prairie à la lisière d'un bois sacré: No. 1, Introduction et Danse religieuse02:56
• 2Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé, M. 57, Première Partie. Une prairie à la lisière d'un bois sacré: Danse religieuse. Modéré04:36
• 3Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé, M. 57, Première Partie. Une prairie à la lisière d'un bois sacré: Vif –02:08
• 4Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé, M. 57, Première Partie. Une prairie à la lisière d'un bois sacré: No. 2, Danse générale01:35
• 5Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé, M. 57, Première Partie. Une prairie à la lisière d'un bois sacré: No. 3, Danse grotesque de Dorcon01:46
• 6Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé, M. 57, Première Partie. Une prairie à la lisière d'un bois sacré: No. 4, Danse légère et gracieuse de Daphnis04:23
• 7Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé, M. 57, Première Partie. Une prairie à la lisière d'un bois sacré: No. 5, Danse de Lycéion04:36
• 8Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé, M. 57, Première Partie. Une prairie à la lisière d'un bois sacré: No. 6, Nocturne. Danse lente et mystérieuse des Nymphes03:19
• Daphnis et Chloé, M. 57, Deuxième Partie. Camp des pirates:
• 9Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé, M. 57, Deuxième Partie. Camp des pirates: No. 7, Introduction03:02
• 10Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé, M. 57, Deuxième Partie. Camp des pirates: No. 8, Danse guerrière04:33
• 11Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé, M. 57, Deuxième Partie. Camp des pirates: No. 9, Danse suppliante de Chloé05:06
• Daphnis et Chloé, M. 57, Troisième Partie. Paysage du premier tableau, à la fin de la nuit:
• 12Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé, M. 57, Troisième Partie. Paysage du premier tableau, à la fin de la nuit: No. 10, Lever du jour05:54
• 13Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé, M. 57, Troisième Partie. Paysage du premier tableau, à la fin de la nuit: No. 11, Pantomime (Les Amours de Pan et Syrinx)06:40
• 14Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé, M. 57, Troisième Partie. Paysage du premier tableau, à la fin de la nuit: No. 12, Danse générale (Bacchanale)03:28
• Total Runtime54:02

Info for Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé (Complete Ballet)

Ravel’s early masterpiece, Daphnis et Chloé, was commissioned by Serge Diaghilev for his Ballets Russes, and was premièred in the Théâtre du Châtelet in July 1912. Described by Ravel as a ‘symphonie chorégraphique’ (choreographic symphony), the work was performed just twice in that 1912 season, and was given only three more performances the following year. Press reaction was muted, and it is now much more often performed as a concert work than as a ballet.

Daphnis, a shepherd, and Dorcon, a cowherd, dance for the privilege of a kiss from Chloé. Daphnis wins the contest and Chloé’s kiss leaves him in ecstasy. Chloé is kidnapped by a band of pirates; Daphnis prostrates himself before the god Pan. The pirates are celebrating their successful raid in their camp when Pan appears and frightens them all away. Some shepherds find Chloé (with Pan’s help) and reunite her with Daphnis.

This recording uses John Wilson’s new performing edition of the work, a project which Wilson took on during the pandemic lockdown in 2020. He writes: ‘The standard performing materials for Daphnis et Chloé have long been the subject of much discussion among orchestral players, conductors, and musicologists. Aside from a mass of errors in the 1913 published full score, the orchestral parts contain many hundreds of inconsistencies, omissions, and wrong notes. It became apparent that numerous changes made by Ravel in rehearsals were transferred directly into the parts but not carried over into the full score. I have tried to rationalise such (and other) inconsistencies as best I could to arrive at what is, I hope, a useful practical performing edition in which the parts match the full score in every detail and – crucially, for a work of such complexity – everything is carefully laid out and easy to read.’

Sinfonia of London Chorus
Sinfonia of London
John Wilson, conductor

John Wilson
is in demand at the highest level across the globe, working with some of the finest orchestras and opera houses. In the UK, he performs regularly at festivals such as the Aldeburgh Festival, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, and BBC Proms and with orchestras such as the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra with which he held the title of Associate Guest Conductor between 2016 and 2019. Elsewhere, his guest conducting takes him to the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Gothenburg Symphony and Danish National Symphony Orchestra among others, and he looks forward to making his debut at New York’s Metropolitan Opera in a coming season.

He studied composition and conducting at the Royal College of Music, where in 2011 he was made a Fellow. John Wilson has assembled a large and varied discography which includes critically acclaimed recordings with the Sinfonia of London, numerous recordings with the John Wilson Orchestra (which he founded in 1994), and series of discs with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, exploring works by Sir Richard Rodney Bennett, and BBC Philharmonic, devoted to the symphonic works of Aaron Copland. He is represented by Intermusica.

Sinfonia of London
A hand-picked group of world-class musicians who meet for specific concerts and recording projects, the orchestra includes a significant number of principals and leaders from other UK and international orchestras, alongside notable soloists and members of distinguished chamber groups.

Our aim is to create exceptional recordings and performances.

Since it's relaunch in 2018, Sinfonia of London has recorded no fewer than 26 albums of music, conducted by John Wilson, for partner label Chandos Records, to exceptional and consistent critical acclaim.

Sinfonia of London's debut recording, Korngold’s Symphony in F sharp received glowing critical reviews and won a BBC Music Magazine Award for orchestral music 2020. Respighi's Roman Trilogy reached number 1 in the UK Specialist Classical charts and won the BBC Music Magazine Award for orchestral music 2021. The orchestra scooped the BBC Music Magazine Award for orchestral music for the third year running in 2022, for its 5 star record of Dutilleux - Le Loup.

In 2022 the orchestra was nominated for three Gramophone Classical Music Awards, including Orchestra of the Year and the 2022 Orchestral Award (for Metamorphosen). Ravel Orchestral Works received the Gramophone Classical Music Award for Spatial Audio in partnership with Apple Music.

In 2023, Sinfonia of London received two out of the six shortlisted places for the Gramophone Awards (for Rachmaninoff Symphony No.3 and Music for Strings), the only UK orchestra to appear on the shortlist. The orchestra's landmark release of the first ever complete version of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma! in its original orchestration, entered the UK Specialist and Classical Charts at Number 1 on release. Its album Cloud Slant, of music by Kenneth Fuchs, is currently being considered in all seven categories for a US Grammy Award 2024.

The orchestra made its live debut at a widely acclaimed BBC Proms concert, conducted by John Wilson, in September 2021. It was invited to mark the Benjamin Britten birthday weekend that year with two concerts at Snape Maltings featuring repertoire from its English Music for Strings album. Sinfonia of London returned to the BBC Proms again in July 2022 and August 2023, with all three concerts broadcast for TV on BBC four.

Sinfonia of London's first tour to five UK venues in 2022 was received as an outstanding success by both critics and audiences alike, with unanimous five star reviews. In 2023 the orchestra appeared for two performances at the Aldeburgh Festival (also filmed for Marquee TV) and at the 2023 BBC Proms (also broadcast on BBC Four and BBC Radio 3). The orchestra embarks on its second UK tour (Hollywood's Greatest Hits) with eleven concerts in November 2023.

Future plans include further recordings with Chandos Records, as well as live engagements in the UK and beyond.

Booklet for Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé (Complete Ballet)