Iberia

As France recovered from the shock of defeat to Prussian forces in 1870, the country began to boast again of its status as the centre of the world. Paris was the place to be for anyone interested in contemporary culture and the advance of modernity, a claim underlined by the city's rising number of tourists from overseas. Yet the French were increasingly drawn abroad, either as visitors or migrants, with Spain falling among the top European destinations by 1900. The appeal of Spain to the French was not limited only to those with the resources to travel; Spanish culture could often be found closer to home. Between the late 1880s and the 1920s, around half a million Spaniards found refuge in France from political repression or poverty. While many of them later returned to Spain, their presence left a deep and lasting impression on French arts, literature and music.

In this vibrant and colourful orchestral programme from the RLPO and Domingo Hindoyan, Chabrier's España opens proceedings. The composer's interest in Spain was most likely the result of his friendship with the artist Edouard Manet, whose paintings depicted Spanish themes. The conductor of the premiere was Charles Lamoureux who persuaded Chabrier to visit Spain in the summer of 1882. This work was the catalyst for French composers who followed to explore Spanish influences. Manual deFalla commented on Debussy's Iberia ''Without knowing Spain, or without having set foot on Spanish ground,' he noted, 'Debussy has written Spanish music. He came to know Spain through books and paintings, through songs and dances performed by native Spaniards….'

Ravel was born in the Basque region of France, and his mother spoke Spanish fluently and grew up in Madrid. Spanish themes occupied Ravel's thoughts throughout his life, and this album includes four of his best loved Spanish themed works, ending with that timeless, invigorating, kaleidoscopic antidote to boredom - Bolero