A couple of actresses I like are having birthdays today: Wanda Sykes is 49 and Rachel Weisz is 43. The great Arthur Lee of the band Love was born today but sadly died back in 2006. I saw him that the Filmore not long before that. The great hero of my home town, Santa Rosa, was born on this day back in 1849: Luther Burbank. And in 1671 Robert “Rob” Roy MacGregor was born on this day.
But most of all, we should celebrate this day because Maurice Ravel was born on it way back in 1875. I’m rather fond of him. But for most of my life, I have avoided Bolero because it was so unlike all his other very ethereal work that I preferred. But in recent years, I’ve come to appreciate Bolero. (You might check out the excellent Georgian Festival Orchestra version.) It is a fine and very subtle piece of music.
For this day, then, I offer you Bruno Bozzetto‘s excellent visualization of the piece for his Fantasia parody, Allegro Non Troppo. We can use it to also celebrate Bozzetto’s birthday, since I missed it back on 3 March. Enjoy: