I find Bolero to be way too repetitive. To me there is a lot of repetition (But I repeat myself, and did I mention how repetitive it is? But it really repeats itself. And it is repetitive. And it goes on and on, repeating itself...) and for all that it does not really go anywhere. If you have heard 20 seconds worth of the piece, you have pretty much heard it all. I have always called it “Borelero.”
If you have heard 20 seconds worth of the piece, you have pretty much heard it all
come now...20 seconds worth does it no justice; two minutes would be better...
but for all that, is the melodic structure of the piece not as haunting as anything ever composed, with the elements of Middle Eastern mysticism combined with implied connubial bliss...?
That reminds me of some old post-war Stan Kenton piece that’s actually entitled “Monotony,” in which repetition is taken to bizarre level.