Portraits

About

Ravel's elegant tribute to France's musical and cultural heritage blends Baroque dance forms with Impressionistic colors and textures. The first black musician to solo with the Chicago Symphony, Margaret Bonds composed a captivating orchestral work with layered and poignant melodies that pay homage to the Civil Rights Movement and African American spirituals. Elgar's musical portraits honor the personalities of his close friends, with each variation representing a different individual or aspect of their character.