Maurice Ravel

Maurice Ravel was an important French composer and one of the main representatives of Impressionism in music.

He was born on March 7, 1875 in Ciboure near Saint-Jean-de-Luz and showed musical talent at an early age. He began taking piano lessons at the age of seven. His first works were written during composition lessons with Charles-René. In 1889, he was accepted at the Paris Conservatoire, where he initially pursued a career as a pianist, but later concentrated on composition. The extensive knowledge gained from his pianistic training is later evident in Ravel's piano writing and his understanding of orchestration, e.g. in his arrangement of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition.

Ravel's compositional style is characterized by refined timbres, innovative harmonies and masterful orchestration. Despite his importance for the music history of the 20th century, he often remained controversial during his lifetime. Most of his works, with their unusual rhythms and harmonies, were initially met with incomprehension by the general public, but were praised by some critics for their innovative power. Nevertheless, works such as La Valse, Bolero and his two piano concertos became popular during his lifetime. In addition to his instrumental and stage works, Ravel also created vocal music, including the choral piece L'Aurore.

In the last years of his life, a progressive physical decline increasingly prevented him from performing in public and composing new works. He died in Paris on December 28, 1937.