The one hundred and twenty-second classical recording: #575 Maurice Ravel - Gaspard de la Nuit
Intentionally written to be difficult, there is an element of frantic uncertainty to hearing this. The first of the three pieces, Ondine, has the notes constantly flooding through, a cascade that mimicks the watery setting of the piece. There's a joy and excitement in the piece, and it comes across with a real rush. In comparison, the second piece Le Giet is slow and sombre, repeating a single note that the rest of the music slowly and deliberately forms around. The franticness comes back with Scarbo, but here far more chaotically, without as much of hte clear repetition as the earlier pieces but instead moving around like the mischievous creature the underlying poem subscribes.
Aside from anything else, the piece is really impressive to hear played, clearly requiring a lot of skill, but it also manages to create a setting incredibly well and are enjoyable because of that. It really feels like a masterpiece just listening here.