Does Joe Biden’s campaign exist?
I’ve heard that question. Too often. I’ve read articles about that question. Too often.
Compare Joe Biden’s campaign to Maurice Ravel’s Bolero. I have no idea what you are talking about, says my wife. Others, too. Let me explain.
Maurice Ravel’s one movement orchestral piece starts quietly. With a snare drum. Da, da, da, dum; da, da, da dum. How can I explain the pace. A quick 1,2,3,4…. 1,2,3,4…. Quiet. Quiet. And the melody begins with a quiet flute. Pizzacotto for violas and cellos. Quietly. Pianissimo
While the drum continues at pianissimo and the violas and the cellos continue a little louder, at piano, a harp joins, the melody continues, pianissimo with a second flute and a touch louder at piano at with a clarinet.
The piece continues. New instruments play the melody: an E flat clarinet, an oboe d’amore, a trumpet, a saxophone. And so on, concluding with the rhythm played by oboes, cor anglais, clarinets, bass clarinet, bassoons, contrabassoon, tuba, timpani, harp, and double bass; together with the bass drum, cymbals, and a tam-tam. Flutes, piccolo, horns join in on the rhythm. The melody is played by the trombones, sopranino saxophone, and tenor saxophone. The conclusion is loud and triumphant.
You want to hear Ravel’s Bolero, try this version – conducted by Ravel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r30D3SW4OVw