Daphnis et Chloe, Suite 1 (NCPE. McAlister)

Maurice Ravel's ballet music “Daphnis et Chloé” was commissioned by Sergei Diaghilev for the Ballets Russes and received its premiere in 1912. The work is considered one of the most significant orchestral compositions of the early twentieth century and showcases Ravel at the height of his Impressionist mastery. From the score, the composer distilled two concert suites for orchestra, each of which leads an independent life apart from the stage work.

The First Suite (M.57a), composed in 1911, brings together three scenes from the first and second acts of the ballet: “Nocturne”, “Interlude”, and “Danse guerrière”. It paints a richly orchestrated soundscape full of shimmering textures and finely differentiated instrumentation. The use of the full orchestral apparatus — including harps and an obligatory chorus — lends the work its characteristic radiance.

This edition is based on the NCPE edition by McAlister and provides conductors and orchestras with a carefully revised working text. It is ideally suited for concert programmes that seek to showcase the orchestra across its full sonic range.