Maurice Ravel was a French composer, pianist and conductor known for his musical craftsmanship and inventive orchestration. Born in 1875 in Ciboure, France, Ravel had his first piano lessons with Henri Ghys and studied composition with Charles-René, both at the Paris Conservatoire. Though considered one of France’s greatest composers, Ravel struggled during his early years to gain recognition. His music was often criticized for being overly sophisticated and lacking in emotion. However, today he is recognized as one of the most significant and influential composers of the early 20th century.
Ravel’s music is often associated with impressionism, though he disliked that term. His works evoke a dreamlike quality through rich harmonies, subtle shadings, and innovative sonorities. Works such as ‘Jeux d’eau’ (1901), ‘Miroirs’ (1905) and ‘Gaspard de la Nuit’ (1908) for piano demonstrated his mastery of instrumental color and technique. However, Ravel longed to make his mark as a composer for the stage. His ballet ‘Daphnis et Chloé’ premiered in 1912 with great success. The work perfectly captured the pastoral Greek myth through lush orchestration and shimmering textures.
Ravel achieved even greater fame with his next ballet, ‘Boléro’ (1928). Though considered one of his lighter works, ‘Boléro’ showcased Ravel’s brilliant orchestration skills over its 15-minute duration. The steady crescendo and unrelenting snare drum rhythm have made ‘Boléro’ one of the most recognizable pieces of classical music. Other notable orchestral works include ‘Rapsodie espagnole’ (1907), ‘Ma mère l’oye’ (Mother Goose Suite, 1911), and ‘La valse’ (1920).
Ravel composed a number of piano concertos, including the jazzy ‘Piano Concerto in G major’ (1929-31) and the highly technical ‘Piano Concerto for the Left Hand’ (1929-30). He also produced a significant body of chamber music, including the String Quartet in F major (1902), ‘Introduction and Allegro’ for harp, flute, clarinet and string quartet (1905), and the Piano Trio in A minor (1914).
As a vocal composer, Ravel completed song cycles in the French tradition as well as operas. His lyric drama ‘L’heure espagnole’ (1907) displays his talent for musical comedy. But his most ambitious vocal work was the opera ‘L’enfant et les sortilèges’ (1925), where Ravel brings inanimate objects and animals to life through innovative vocal effects and shimmering orchestration.
Ravel drew inspiration from a wide range of musical influences, including French Baroque music, Basque folk songs, Spanish dance, Asian music and American jazz. An innovator unafraid of experimentation, he incorporated new techniques such as extended harmonies, modal scales, unusual rhythmic groupings and prominent percussion into his music. However, Ravel’s works retain an innate classicism and balance. As he put it, “The only excuse for writing music is to write it well.”
Though not considered a radical modernist, Ravel joined the avant-garde group of composers known as Les Six in the 1920s. The group rejected romanticism and impressionism in favor of Neoclassicism, cleaner textures and incorporation of jazz elements. Compared to Les Six colleagues like Poulenc and Satie, Ravel leaned towards a more refined, elegant style in his Neoclassical works.
In the last 10 years of his life, Ravel focused on orchestration projects, piano miniatures, and expanding his two piano concertos into full concertos. Diagnosed with Pick’s disease in 1933, Ravel soon lost the ability to write music and suffered from aphasia. He died after brain surgery in 1937 at age 62, leaving behind a rich musical legacy spanning Impressionism to Neoclassicism. Though his output was small compared to contemporaries, Ravel perfected his works through meticulous editing until they shimmered with a jewel-like perfection. Hailed for his technical mastery and innovation, Maurice Ravel’s music continues to enchant and inspire audiences worldwide.