Program Notes: Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloe

Charles T. Griffes’ The Pleasure Dome of Kubla Khan is an American masterpiece that captures the dreamy quality of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem. Then comes a French masterpiece, Ravel’s Piano Concerto, a lighthearted romp with an air of American jazz and an homage to George Gershwin. Paul Dukas may be a one-hit wonder with The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, but it’s a doozy. Forever immortalized in Disney’s Fantasia, the whimsical work tells a story through vivid colors and dynamics that bring characters to life. When the program ends with Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloe Suite No. 2, you have to wonder, does any music capture the miracle of morning better than Daybreak from this work?

This episode includes music excerpts to illustrate each work.

Masterworks 6 of the 25/26 Season
Performances January 23-25, 2026