Watch Whole Notes: Maurice Ravel - The Color of Music

Ravel, a French composer who loved Spanish rhythms, once said of his most famous and sensuous piece, Bolero, "It is 17 minutes of orchestra without any music". We look at the history of Bolero, one of the most popular pieces of music of any period, and how it brilliantly defines color in music. We explain its Hollywood appeal (heard in several films) and how it has remained an audience favorite for more than seventy years.