Maurice Ravel

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

Family Background and Education

 Born in France, in the Basque village of Ciboure

o Moved to Paris 3 months later
 Father was Swiss, mother was Basque-influence of Basque and Spanish folk music
significant in Ravel’s musical development
 Began piano lessons at age seven
 Entered Paris Conservatoire
 In the same year, attended Paris World Exposition-encountered international music that
had a lasting impact on compositions
 First published work was a piano solo, Menuet antique
 Accepted into advanced composition class taught by Gabriel Fauré
o Earned reputation of enfant terrible-at the point of being expelled
 Failed to win Prix de Rome after several attempts
 Became friends with like-minded progressive artists nicknamed “Les apaches” (“The
Hooligans”)-reputations as non-conformists or outcasts
o Among them was Ricardo Vines (virtuoso pianist) and Erik Satie (composer)
Life and Musical Career

 Following studies, grew in popularity as a composer-explored many genres

 Comfortable lifestyle (cafes, salons, nightclubs of Paris)
 Commissioned by Sergei Diaghilev and his Ballets Russes to write the music for Daphnis
et Chloe, originally scored for large orchestra, wordless chorus, and even a wind
machine
 Began WWI military service as a military transport driver
 Mother’s death was a crushing blow-slowed creative output
 Le tombeau de Couperin dedicated to her memory and friends perished in war
 Visited the US-friendship with George Gershwin
 Awarded honorary doctorate by Oxford University
 Injured in taxi accident (brain damage detected years later)
 Final years marked by failing health and reclusive behavior
 Died December 28, 1937, in Paris following brain surgery
Musical Style and Contributions

 Expanded tonal language includes use of modes, pentatonic and whole-tone scales,
parallel chord streams, unresolved seventh and ninth chords, and polychords
 Neo-Classicism evident in works that feature thin textures, contrapuntal writing, and
traditional forms, such as in Sonatine
 Influenced by French harpsichord tradition, evidenced in Le Tombeau de Couperin
 Rich orchestral writing influenced by Debussy and Russian composers such as Nikolai
Rimsky-Korsakov ad Igor Stravinsky
 Natural affinity for Spanish music because of mother’s Basque heritage
o Spanish influences revealed in works such as Rapsodie espagnole, Boléro, and
the opera L’heure espagnole
 Attraction to American jazz evident in the first mvt of Piano concerto in G major and the
second mvt (Blues) of his violin sonata
 Set the poetry of French Symbolists in his art songs (melodies) and song cycles
 Friendship with accomplished performers resulted in highly virtuosic works
o Gaspard de la nuit premiered by Ricardo vines
 Humor and gentle, niave, charm is evident in some works
o L’enfant et les sortileges
Genres and Titles

 Orchestral
o Including Rapsodie espagnole, La valse
 Concertos
o Piano Concerto for the Left Hand, Piano Concerto in G major
 Chamber
o Including a string quartet, piano trio, duo sonatas
 Piano
o Including Menuet antique, Pavane pour une infante défunte, Jeux d’eau,
Sonatine, Miroirs, Gaspard de la nuit, Le tombeau de Couperin
 Operas
o L’heure espagnole, L’enfant et les sortileges
 Vocal
o Song collections including Shéhérazade, Chansons madécasses, Histoires
naturelles
 Ballets
o Daphnis et Chloé, Boléro, Ma mère l’oye