Maurice Ravel

About

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) was a French composer of Swiss-Basque descent whose precise orchestration and acute sense of tonal colour made him one of the defining voices of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire under Gabriel Fauré and forged a personal language drawing on impressionism, neoclassicism, Spanish folk music and jazz. His Boléro (1928) - a single theme built up over fifteen minutes from pianissimo to fortissimo - became one of the most recognised pieces in the orchestral repertoire. He remains the most widely performed of all French composers.

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playback of Pavane pour une infante défunte on Spotify (one edition)

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playback of Bolero on Spotify (one edition)

What's new

2025-08
The Ravel Festival in Baskicku organized an exceptional edition for the 150th anniversary of the composer's birth - the event took place from August 28 to September 7, 2025.
2025-07
The Verbier Festival included two marathon piano recitals in its program dedicated exclusively to Ravel's works as part of the celebration of the 150th anniversary of his birth.
2025-03
On March 7, 2025, the musical world celebrated the 150th anniversary of Maurice Ravel - a solo recital by Bertrand Chamayou featuring the complete piano works of Ravel took place at the Paris Philharmonie.
2024-12
The Paris Philharmonie opened the exhibition Ravel Boléro, which was accessible from December 3, 2024 to June 15, 2025.
2024-03
The French film Boléro (directed by Anne Fontaine) was released in cinemas, depicting the circumstances of the creation of Ravel's most famous work and the composer's relationship with dancer Ida Rubinstein.