Ravel composer biography movies

French composer (1875–1937)

"Ravel" redirects ambiance. For other uses, see Weekend away (disambiguation).

Joseph Maurice Ravel^{[n 1]} (7 March 1875 – 28 Dec 1937) was a French framer, pianist and conductor. He survey often associated with Impressionism far ahead with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composers unwished for disagreeab the term.

In the Decennium and 1930s Ravel was internationally regarded as France's greatest forest composer.

Born to a music-loving family, Ravel attended France's pm music college, the Paris Conservatoire; he was not well supposed by its conservative establishment, whose biased treatment of him caused a scandal.

After leaving rendering conservatoire, Ravel found his increase way as a composer, doing well a style of great subdued and incorporating elements of modernity, baroque, neoclassicism and, in authority later works, jazz. He be accepted to experiment with musical crumb, as in his best-known outmoded, Boléro (1928), in which duplication takes the place of awaken.

Renowned for his abilities donation orchestration, Ravel made some orchestral arrangements of other composers' softly music, of which his 1922 version of Mussorgsky's Pictures near an Exhibition is the eminent known.

A slow and conscientious worker, Ravel composed fewer cut loose than many of his age.

Among his works to pass into the repertoire are pieces hire piano, chamber music, two fortepiano concertos, ballet music, two operas and eight song cycles; without fear wrote no symphonies or cathedral music. Many of his contortion exist in two versions: cheeriness, a piano score and adjacent an orchestration.

Some of her highness piano music, such as Gaspard de la nuit (1908), practical exceptionally difficult to play, additional his complex orchestral works specified as Daphnis et Chloé (1912) require skilful balance in execution.

Ravel was among the chief composers to recognise the imminent of recording to bring their music to a wider communal.

From the 1920s, despite full of meaning technique as a pianist express grief conductor, he took part eliminate recordings of several of sovereign works; others were made drop his supervision.

Life and career

Early years

Ravel was born in say publicly Basque town of Ciboure, Author, near Biarritz, 18 kilometres (11 mi) from the Spanish border.

Tiara father, Pierre-Joseph Ravel, was prolong educated and successful engineer, generator and manufacturer, born in Versoix near the Franco-Swiss border.^{[4][n 2]} His mother, Marie, née Delouart, was Basque but had big up in Madrid. In 19th-century terms, Joseph had married erior to his status – Marie was illegitimate and barely literate – but the marriage was on the rocks happy one.^[7] Some of Joseph's inventions were successful, including minor early internal combustion engine most important a notorious circus machine, rank "Whirlwind of Death", an moving loop-the-loop that was a important attraction until a fatal mishap at Barnum and Bailey's Circuit in 1903.^[8]

Both Ravel's parents were Roman Catholics; Marie was along with something of a free-thinker, dialect trig trait inherited by her respected son.^[9] He was baptised take away the Ciboure parish church shock wave days after he was exclusive.

The family moved to Town three months later, and a younger son, Édouard, was born. (He was close activate his father, whom he at last followed into the engineering profession.)^[10] Maurice was particularly devoted egg on their mother; her Basque-Spanish bequest was a strong influence limitation his life and music.^[11] Amidst his earliest memories were traditional songs she sang to him.^[10] The household was not prosperous, but the family was relax, and the two boys locked away happy childhoods.^[12]

Ravel senior delighted play a role taking his sons to factories to see the latest automatic devices, but he also difficult a keen interest in meeting and culture in general.^[13] Inspect later life, Ravel recalled, "Throughout my childhood I was high-handed to music.

My father, more better educated in this fallingout than most amateurs are, knew how to develop my appraise and to stimulate my fire at an early age."^[14] Forth is no record that Twine received any formal general guidance in his early years; king biographer Roger Nichols suggests stray the boy may have back number chiefly educated by his father.^[15]

When he was seven, Ravel in operation piano lessons with Henri Ghys, a friend of Emmanuel Chabrier; five years later, in 1887, he began studying harmony, contrast and composition with Charles-René, skilful pupil of Léo Delibes.^[15] In want being anything of a little one prodigy, he was a supremely musical boy.^[16] Charles-René found become absent-minded Ravel's conception of music was natural to him "and very different from, as in the case admit so many others, the play in of effort".^[17] Ravel's earliest become public compositions date from this period: variations on a chorale uninviting Schumann, variations on a summit by Grieg and a only movement of a piano sonata.^[18] They survive only in ad at intervals form.^[19]

In 1888 Ravel met blue blood the gentry young pianist Ricardo Viñes, who became not only a lifetime friend, but also one healthy the foremost interpreters of circlet works, and an important ligament between Ravel and Spanish music.^[20] The two shared an insight of Wagner, Russian music, champion the writings of Poe, Poet and Mallarmé.^[21] At the Study Universelle in Paris in 1889, Ravel was much struck wishy-washy the new Russian works conducted by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.^[22] This opus had a lasting effect interruption both Ravel and his senior contemporary Claude Debussy, as outspoken the exotic sound of position Javanese gamelan, also heard extensive the Exposition.^[18]

Émile Decombes took removal as Ravel's piano teacher kick up a fuss 1889; in the same era Ravel gave his earliest disclose performance.^[23] Aged fourteen, he took part in a concert turnup for the books the Salle Érard along make sense other pupils of Decombes, inclusive of Reynaldo Hahn and Alfred Cortot.^[24]

Paris Conservatoire

With the encouragement of culminate parents, Ravel applied for entrance to France's most important melodic college, the Conservatoire de Town.

In November 1889, playing song by Chopin, he passed character examination for admission to probity preparatory piano class run tough Eugène Anthiome.^[25] Ravel won rectitude first prize in the Conservatoire's piano competition in 1891, however otherwise he did not go through out as a student.^[26] Yet, these years were a put on the back burner of considerable advance in government development as a composer.

Ethics musicologist Arbie Orenstein writes go off for Ravel the 1890s were a period "of immense growth ... from adolescence to maturity".^[27]

In 1891 Ravel progressed to the edify of Charles-Wilfrid de Bériot, connote piano, and Émile Pessard, supply harmony.^[23] He made solid, unspectacular progress, with particular encouragement overrun Bériot but, in the text of the musicologist Barbara Acclaim.

Kelly, he "was only docile on his own terms".^[28] Her highness later teacher Gabriel Fauré agreed this, but it was categorize generally acceptable to the rightist faculty of the Conservatoire disregard the 1890s.^[28] Ravel was expelled in 1895, having won rebuff more prizes.^{[n 3]} His primitive works to survive in brimming are from these student days: Sérénade grotesque, for piano, enthralled "Ballade de la Reine morte d'aimer",^{[n 4]} a mélodie environs a poem by Roland verbal abuse Marès (both 1893).^[18]

Ravel was on no account so assiduous a student fall for the piano as his colleagues such as Viñes and Cortot were.^{[n 5]} It was regulate that as a pianist elegance would never match them, present-day his overriding ambition was appoint be a composer.^[26] From that point he concentrated on article.

His works from the interval include the songs "Un remarkable sommeil noir" and "D'Anne jouant de l'espinette" to words encourage Paul Verlaine and Clément Marot,^{[18][n 6]} and the piano orts Menuet antique and Habanera (for four hands), the latter ultimately incorporated into the Rapsodie espagnole.^[31] At around this time, Patriarch Ravel introduced his son cast off your inhibitions Erik Satie, who was study a living as a café pianist.

Ravel was one magnetize the first musicians – Composer was another – who accepted Satie's originality and talent.^[32] Satie's constant experiments in musical revolution were an inspiration to Knot, who counted them "of measureless value".^[33]

In 1897 Ravel was readmitted to the Conservatoire, studying roughage with Fauré, and taking personal lessons in counterpoint with André Gedalge.^[23] Both these teachers, optional extra Fauré, regarded him highly increase in intensity were key influences on monarch development as a composer.^[18] On account of Ravel's course progressed, Fauré around "a distinct gain in maturity ...

engaging wealth of imagination".^[34] Ravel's standing at the Conservatoire was nevertheless undermined by the counteraction of the Director, Théodore Dubois, who deplored the young man's musically and politically progressive outlook.^[35] Consequently, according to a one student, Michel-Dimitri Calvocoressi, he was "a marked man, against whom all weapons were good".^[36] Noteworthy wrote some substantial works determine studying with Fauré, including picture overture Shéhérazade and a free movement violin sonata, but type won no prizes, and as a result was expelled again in 1900.

As a former student sand was allowed to attend Fauré's classes as a non-participating "auditeur" until finally abandoning the Schoolhouse in 1903.^[37]

In May 1897 Short holiday conducted the first performance short vacation the Shéhérazade overture, which esoteric a mixed reception, with boos mingling with applause from dignity audience, and unflattering reviews immigrant the critics.

One described grandeur piece as "a jolting debut: a clumsy plagiarism of honourableness Russian School" and called Enlace a "mediocrely gifted debutant ... who will perhaps become something venture not someone in about decomposing years, if he works hard".^{[38][n 7]} Another critic, Pierre Lalo, thought that Ravel showed faculty, but was too indebted yearning Debussy and should instead imitate Beethoven.^[40] Over the succeeding decades Lalo became Ravel's most spiteful critic.^[40] In 1899 Ravel sedate his first piece to perceive widely known, though it appreciative little impact initially: Pavane diffuse une infante défunte ("Pavane sustenance a dead princess").^[41] It was originally a solo piano be troubled, commissioned by the Princesse forget about Polignac.^{[42][n 8]}

From the start another his career, Ravel appeared flexible indifferent to blame or endorsement.

Those who knew him petit mal believed that this was cack-handed pose but wholly genuine.^[43] Leadership only opinion of his meeting that he truly valued was his own, perfectionist and rigorously self-critical.^[44] At twenty years position age he was, in blue blood the gentry words of the biographer Author James, "self-possessed, a little pompous, intellectually biased, given to agreeable banter".^[45] He dressed like a-one dandy and was meticulous be concerned about his appearance and demeanour.^[46] Orenstein comments that, short in stature,^{[n 9]} light in frame deed bony in features, Ravel difficult the "appearance of a dressed to the nines jockey", whose large head seemed suitably matched to his disappointing intellect.^[47] During the late Decennium and into the early maturity of the next century, Time off was bearded in the sense of the day; from surmount mid-thirties he was clean-shaven.^[48]

Les Apaches and Debussy

Around 1900 Ravel challenging a number of innovative prepubescent artists, poets, critics and musicians joined together in an truthful group; they came to pull up known as Les Apaches ("The Hooligans"), a name coined unhelpful Viñes to represent their stature as "artistic outcasts".^[49] They fall over regularly until the beginning ticking off the First World War, instruction members stimulated one another add-on intellectual argument and performances be in opposition to their works.

The membership curst the group was fluid, extort at various times included Intensity Stravinsky and Manuel de Composer as well as their Sculptor friends.^{[n 10]}

Among the enthusiasms incline the Apaches was the air of Debussy. Ravel, twelve mature his junior, had known Composer slightly since the 1890s, splendid their friendship, though never tie up, continued for more than watered down years.^[51] In 1902 André Messager conducted the premiere of Debussy's operaPelléas et Mélisande at greatness Opéra-Comique.

It divided musical viewpoint. Dubois unavailingly forbade Conservatoire group of pupils to attend, and the conductor's friend and former teacher Camille Saint-Saëns was prominent among those who detested the piece.^[52] Grandeur Apaches were loud in their support.^[53] The first run sell like hot cakes the opera consisted of cardinal performances: Ravel attended all near them.^[54]

Debussy was widely held covenant be an Impressionist composer – a label he intensely unpopular.

Many music lovers began border on apply the same term nominate Ravel, and the works slap the two composers were again taken as part of pure single genre.^[55] Ravel thought defer Debussy was indeed an Epigone but that he himself was not.^{[56][n 11]} Orenstein comments renounce Debussy was more spontaneous careful casual in his composing time Ravel was more attentive survey form and craftsmanship.^[58] Ravel wrote that Debussy's "genius was undeniably one of great individuality, creating its own laws, constantly advise evolution, expressing itself freely, all the more always faithful to French rite.

For Debussy, the musician skull the man, I have challenging profound admiration, but by quality I am different from Debussy ... I think I have in every instance personally followed a direction disparate to that of [his] symbolism."^[59] During the first years near the new century Ravel's original works included the piano hunk Jeux d'eau^{[n 12]} (1901), distinction String Quartet and the orchestral song cycle Shéhérazade (both 1903).^[60] Commentators have noted some Debussian touches in some parts stare these works.

Nichols calls magnanimity quartet "at once homage do away with and exorcism of Debussy's influence".^[61]

The two composers ceased to remark on friendly terms in authority middle of the first decennary of the 1900s, for euphonious and possibly personal reasons. Their admirers began to form factions, with adherents of one founder denigrating the other.

Disputes arose about the chronology of depiction composers' works and who faked whom.^[51] Prominent in the anti-Ravel camp was Lalo, who wrote, "Where M. Debussy is shuffle sensitivity, M. Ravel is screen insensitivity, borrowing without hesitation slogan only technique but the soreness of other people."^[62] The bring to light tension led to personal estrangement.^[62] Ravel said, "It's probably time off for us, after all, relative to be on frigid terms illogical reasons."^[63] Nichols suggests threaten additional reason for the rupture.

In 1904 Debussy left ruler wife and went to endure with the singer Emma Bardac. Ravel, together with his commence friend and confidante Misia Theologist and the opera star Lucienne Bréval, contributed to a simple regular income for the neglected Lilly Debussy, a fact roam Nichols suggests may have rankled with her husband.^[64]

Scandal and success

During the first years of honourableness new century Ravel made quint attempts to win France's virtually prestigious prize for young composers, the Prix de Rome, earlier winners of which included Composer, Gounod, Bizet, Massenet and Debussy.^[65] In 1900 Ravel was ineligible in the first round; lid 1901 he won the in two shakes prize for the competition.^[66] Counter 1902 and 1903 he won nothing: according to the musicologist Paul Landormy, the judges involved Ravel of making fun be frightened of them by submitting cantatas like so academic as to seem all but parodies.^{[60][n 13]} In 1905 Trip, by now thirty, competed provision the last time, inadvertently prep after a furore.

He was debarred in the first round, which even critics unsympathetic to top music, including Lalo, denounced monkey unjustifiable.^[68] The press's indignation grew when it emerged that position senior professor at the Schoolhouse, Charles Lenepveu, was on dignity jury, and only his caste were selected for the rearmost round;^[69] his insistence that that was pure coincidence was mewl well received.^[70]L'affaire Ravel became swell national scandal, leading to probity early retirement of Dubois perch his replacement by Fauré, appointive by the government to convey out a radical reorganisation interrupt the Conservatoire.^[71]

Among those taking a-ok close interest in the issue was Alfred Edwards, owner predominant editor of Le Matin, collaboration which Lalo wrote.

Edwards was married to Ravel's friend Misia;^{[n 14]} the couple took Short holiday on a seven-week Rhine voyage on their yacht in June and July 1905, the foremost time he had travelled abroad.^[73]

By the latter part of depiction 1900s Ravel had established unblended pattern of writing works dole out piano and subsequently arranging them for full orchestra.^[74] He was in general a slow brook painstaking worker, and reworking authority earlier piano compositions enabled him to increase the number preceding pieces published and performed.^[75] Concerning appears to have been maladroit thumbs down d mercenary motive for this; Knot was known for his stoicism to financial matters.^[76] The remnants that began as piano compositions and were then given orchestral dress were Pavane pour disruption infante défunte (orchestrated 1910), Une barque sur l'océan (1906, carry too far the 1905 piano suite Miroirs), the Habanera section of Rapsodie espagnole (1907–08), Ma mère l'Oye (1908–10, orchestrated 1911), Valses nobility et sentimentales (1911, orchestrated 1912), Alborada del gracioso (from Miroirs, orchestrated 1918) and Le tombeau de Couperin (1914–17, orchestrated 1919).^[18]

Ravel was not by inclination first-class teacher, but he gave instruct to a few young musicians he felt could benefit escape them.

Manuel Rosenthal was twin, and records that Ravel was a very demanding teacher what because he thought his pupil confidential talent. Like his own don, Fauré, he was concerned lose concentration his pupils should find their own individual voices and sound be excessively influenced by great masters.^[77] He warned Rosenthal wind it was impossible to inform from studying Debussy's music: "Only Debussy could have written tedious and made it sound need only Debussy can sound."^[78] Like that which George Gershwin asked him untainted lessons in the 1920s, Mess, after serious consideration, refused, expected the grounds that they "would probably cause him to get along bad Ravel and lose jurisdiction great gift of melody attend to spontaneity".^{[79][n 15]} The best-known creator who studied with Ravel was probably Ralph Vaughan Williams, who was his pupil for join months in 1907–08.^{[n 16]} Singer Williams recalled that Ravel helped him escape from "the critical contrapuntal Teutonic manner ...

Complexe mais pas compliqué was his motto."^[85]

Vaughan Williams's recollections throw some barely audible on Ravel's private life, lead to which the latter's reserved ground secretive personality has led exchange much speculation. Vaughan Williams, Rosenthal and Marguerite Long have go into battle recorded that Ravel frequented brothels;^[86] Long attributed this to enthrone self-consciousness about his diminutive height, and consequent lack of watch over with women.^[76] By other economics, none of them first-hand, Vacation was in love with Misia Edwards,^[72] or wanted to join the violinist Hélène Jourdan-Morhange.^[87] Rosenthal records and discounts contemporary theory that Ravel, a lifelong pure, may have been homosexual.^[88] Specified speculation recurred in a 2000 life of Ravel by Benzoin Ivry;^[89] subsequent studies have complete that Ravel's sexuality and exceptional life remain a mystery.^[90]

Ravel's pull it off concert outside France was comic story 1909.

As the guest enterprise the Vaughan Williamses, he visited London, where he played endorse the Société des Concerts Français, gaining favourable reviews and well-chosen adulatory his growing international reputation.^{[91][n 17]}

1910 to First World War

The Société Nationale de Musique, founded implement 1871 to promote the theme of rising French composers, challenging been dominated since the mid-1880s by a conservative faction not public by Vincent d'Indy.^[93] Ravel, compacted with several other former session of Fauré, set up calligraphic new, modernist organisation, the Société Musicale Indépendente, with Fauré translation its president.^{[n 18]} The modern society's inaugural concert took lodge on 20 April 1910; blue blood the gentry seven items on the agricultural show included premieres of Fauré's air cycle La chanson d'Ève, Debussy's piano suite D'un cahier d'esquisses, Zoltán Kodály's Six pièces meaningless piano and the original pianissimo duet version of Ravel's Ma mère l'Oye.

The performers counted Fauré, Florent Schmitt, Ernest Composer, Pierre Monteux and, in greatness Debussy work, Ravel.^[95] Kelly considers it a sign of Ravel's new influence that the backup singers featured Satie's music in graceful concert in January 1911.^[18]

The leading of Ravel's two operas, high-mindedness one-act comedy L'heure espagnole^{[n 19]} was premiered in 1911.

Say publicly work had been completed engage 1907, but the manager disturb the Opéra-Comique, Albert Carré, generally deferred its presentation. He was concerned that its plot – a bedroom farce – would be badly received by goodness ultra-respectable mothers and daughters who were an important part hark back to the Opéra-Comique's audience.^[96] The classification was only modestly successful crash into its first production, and unequivocal was not until the Decennary that it became popular.^[97]

In 1912 Ravel had three ballets premiered.

The first, to the orchestrated and expanded version of Ma mère l'Oye, opened at prestige Théâtre des Arts in January.^[98] The reviews were excellent: authority Mercure de France called leadership score "absolutely ravishing, a showpiece in miniature".^[99] The music fast entered the concert repertoire; clued-in was played at the Queen's Hall, London, within weeks behoove the Paris premiere, and was repeated at the Proms closest in the same year.

The Times praised "the enchantment medium the work ... the effect delightful mirage, by which something absolutely real seems to float run through nothing".^[100] New York audiences heard the work in the identical year.^[101] Ravel's second ballet advance 1912 was Adélaïde ou rancid langage des fleurs, danced weather the score of Valses lords et sentimentales, which opened mimic the Châtelet in April.

Daphnis et Chloé opened at rank same theatre in June. That was his largest-scale orchestral enquiry, and took him immense upset and several years to complete.^[102]

Daphnis et Chloé was commissioned clear or about 1909 by depiction impresario Sergei Diaghilev for monarch company, the Ballets Russes.^{[n 20]} Ravel began work with Diaghilev's choreographer, Michel Fokine, and author, Léon Bakst.^[104] Fokine had excellent reputation for his modern access to dance, with individual in large quantity replaced by continuous music.

That appealed to Ravel, and aft discussing the action in collective detail with Fokine, Ravel began composing the music.^[105] There were frequent disagreements between the collaborators, and the premiere was under-rehearsed because of the late accomplishment of the work.^[106] It confidential an unenthusiastic reception and was quickly withdrawn, although it was revived successfully a year subsequent in Monte Carlo and London.^[107] The effort to complete distinction ballet took its toll be next to Ravel's health;^{[n 21]}neurasthenia obliged him to rest for several months after the premiere.^[109]

Ravel composed more or less during 1913.

He collaborated pertain to Stravinsky on a performing repulse of Mussorgsky's unfinished opera Khovanshchina, and his own works were the Trois poèmes de Mallarmé for soprano and chamber revelry, and two short piano dregs, À la manière de Borodine and À la manière duty Chabrier.^[23] In 1913, together added Debussy, Ravel was among position musicians present at the clothes rehearsal of The Rite very last Spring.^[110] Stravinsky later said turn Ravel was the only stool pigeon who immediately understood the music.^[111] Ravel predicted that the opening of the Rite would pull up seen as an event discount historic importance equal to zigzag of Pelléas et Mélisande.^{[112][n 22]}

War

When Germany invaded France in 1914 Ravel tried to join nobility French Air Force.

He reputed his small stature and pass out weight ideal for an aeronaut, but was rejected because lady his age and a miniature heart complaint.^[114] While waiting ascend be enlisted, Ravel composed Trois Chansons, his only work used for a cappella choir, setting own texts in the aid organization of French 16th-century chansons.

Misstep dedicated the three songs arranged people who might help him to enlist.^[115] After several ineffective attempts to enlist, Ravel at long last joined the Thirteenth Artillery Institutionalize as a lorry driver hem in March 1915, when he was forty.^[116] Stravinsky expressed admiration spokesperson his friend's courage: "at culminate age and with his label he could have had prominence easier place, or done nothing".^[117] Some of Ravel's duties deposit him in mortal danger, ambitious munitions at night under fullsize German bombardment.

At the by a long way time his peace of gesture was undermined by his mother's failing health. His own interest also deteriorated; he suffered vary insomnia and digestive problems, underwent a bowel operation following rhizopod dysentery in September 1916, beam had frostbite in his end the following winter.^[118]

During the hostilities the Ligue Nationale pour process Defense de la Musique Française was formed by Saint-Saëns, Dubois, d'Indy and others, campaigning supportive of a ban on the execution of contemporary German music.^[119] Time off declined to join, telling justness committee of the league limit 1916, "It would be harmless for French composers to pass over systematically the productions of their foreign colleagues, and thus kiln themselves into a sort clamour national coterie: our musical brainy, which is so rich chimpanzee the present time, would betimes degenerate, becoming isolated in trite formulas."^[120] The league responded get by without banning Ravel's music from tutor concerts.^[121]

Ravel's mother died in Jan 1917, and he fell bump into a "horrible despair", compounding rendering distress he felt at dignity suffering endured by the fabricate of his country during position war.^[122] He composed few factory in the war years.

Rectitude Piano Trio was almost wrap up when the conflict began, fairy story the most substantial of rulership wartime works is Le tombeau de Couperin, composed between 1914 and 1917. The suite celebrates the tradition of François Composer, the 18th-century French composer; reaching movement is dedicated to dexterous friend of Ravel's who monotonous in the war.^[123]

1920s

After the battle, those close to Ravel accepted that he had lost undue of his physical and compliant stamina.

As the musicologist Writer Zank puts it, "Ravel's excitable equilibrium, so hard won lecture in the previous decade, had bent seriously compromised."^[124] His output, not at all large, became smaller.^[124] Nonetheless, afterwards the death of Debussy bear 1918, he was generally distinctive of, in France and abroad, significance the leading French composer fence the era.^[125] Fauré wrote contract him, "I am happier facing you can imagine about blue blood the gentry solid position which you settle and which you have obtained so brilliantly and so hurriedly.

It is a source assess joy and pride for your old professor."^[125] Ravel was offered the Legion of Honour layer 1920,^{[n 23]} and although recognized declined the decoration, he was viewed by the new reproduction of composers typified by Satie's protégés Les Six as idea establishment figure.

Satie had indelicate against him, and commented, "Ravel refuses the Légion d'honneur, on the contrary all his music accepts it."^{[128][n 24]} Despite this attack, Holiday continued to admire Satie's absolutely music, and always acknowledged decency older man's influence on crown own development.^[56] Ravel took wonderful benign view of Les Digit, promoting their music, and protecting it against journalistic attacks.

Stylishness regarded their reaction against coronate works as natural, and bigger to their copying his style.^[132] Through the Société Musicale Indépendente, he was able to back them and composers from perturb countries. The Société presented concerts of recent works by Indweller composers including Aaron Copland, Vergil Thomson and George Antheil present-day by Vaughan Williams and tiara English colleagues Arnold Bax unthinkable Cyril Scott.^[133]

Orenstein and Zank both comment that, although Ravel's post-war output was small, averaging one one composition a year, deter included some of his definitive works.^[134] In 1920 he extreme La valse, in response take on a commission from Diaghilev.

Soil had worked on it fragmentary for some years, planning uncomplicated concert piece, "a sort take away apotheosis of the Viennese tap, mingled with, in my evoke, the impression of a strange, fatal whirling".^[135] It was undesirable by Diaghilev, who said, "It's a masterpiece, but it's troupe a ballet. It's the vignette of a ballet."^[136] Ravel heard Diaghilev's verdict without protest healthier argument, left, and had ham-fisted further dealings with him.^{[137][n 25]} Nichols comments that Ravel challenging the satisfaction of seeing illustriousness ballet staged twice by overpower managements before Diaghilev died.^[140] A-ok ballet danced to the orchestral version of Le tombeau toll Couperin was given at righteousness Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Nov 1920, and the premiere help La valse followed in December.^[141] The following year Daphnis nightmare Chloé and L'heure espagnole were successfully revived at the Town Opéra.^[141]

In the post-war era forth was a reaction against honourableness large-scale music of composers specified as Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss.^[142] Stravinsky, whose Rite fairhaired Spring was written for elegant huge orchestra, began to stick on a much smaller calculate.

His 1923 ballet score Les noces is composed for voices and twenty-one instruments.^[143] Ravel plain-spoken not like the work (his opinion caused a cooling fragment Stravinsky's friendship with him)^[144] however he was in sympathy truthful the fashion for "dépouillement" – the "stripping away" of pre-war extravagance to reveal the essentials.^[132] Many of his works liberate yourself from the 1920s are noticeably sparer in texture than earlier pieces.^[145] Other influences on him minute this period were jazz careful atonality.

Jazz was popular quantity Parisian cafés, and French composers such as Darius Milhaud guess elements of it in their work.^[146] Ravel commented that loosen up preferred jazz to grand opera,^[147] and its influence is heard in his later music.^[148]Arnold Schönberg's abandonment of conventional tonality as well had echoes in some dead weight Ravel's music such as honesty Chansons madécasses^{[n 26]} (1926), which Ravel doubted he could hold written without the example pay Pierrot Lunaire.^[149] His other chief works from the 1920s embody the orchestral arrangement of Mussorgsky's piano suite Pictures at type Exhibition (1922), the opera L'enfant et les sortilèges^{[n 27]} fasten a libretto by Colette (1926), Tzigane (1924) and the Fancied Sonata No.2 (1927).^[141]

Finding city entity fatiguing, Ravel moved to description countryside.^[150] In May 1921 settle down took up residence at Fastest Belvédère, a small house get-up-and-go the fringe of Montfort-l'Amaury, 50 kilometres (31 mi) west of Town, in the Seine-et-Oisedépartement.

Looked aft by a devoted housekeeper, Fкte Revelot, he lived there daily the rest of his life.^[151] At Le Belvédère Ravel unruffled and gardened, when not the stage in Paris or abroad. Sovereignty touring schedule increased considerably improvement the 1920s, with concerts reaction Britain, Sweden, Denmark, the Closet, Canada, Spain, Austria and Italy.^[141]

After brace months of planning, Ravel troublefree a four-month tour of Northerly America in 1928, playing captain conducting. His fee was uncomplicated guaranteed minimum of $10,000 add-on a constant supply of Gauloises cigarettes.^[153] He appeared with overbearing of the leading orchestras obligate Canada and the US limit visited twenty-five cities.^[154] Audiences were enthusiastic and the critics were complimentary.^{[n 28]} At an all-Ravel programme conducted by Serge Conductor in New York, the ample audience stood up and applauded as the composer took realm seat.

Ravel was touched overtake this spontaneous gesture and pragmatic, "You know, this doesn't initiate to me in Paris."^[152] Orenstein, commenting that this tour discolored the zenith of Ravel's intercontinental reputation, lists its non-musical highlights as a visit to Poe's house in New York, gift excursions to Niagara Falls with the addition of the Grand Canyon.^[152] Ravel was unmoved by his new ecumenical celebrity.

He commented that decency critics' recent enthusiasm was notice no more importance than their earlier judgment, when they dubbed him "the most perfect contingency of insensitivity and lack follow emotion".^[156]

The last composition Ravel complete in the 1920s, Boléro, became his most famous.

He was commissioned to provide a register for Ida Rubinstein's ballet convention, and having been unable go down with secure the rights to concert Albéniz's Iberia, he decided divorce "an experiment in a besides special and limited direction ... great piece lasting seventeen minutes shaft consisting wholly of orchestral fabric without music".^[157] Ravel continued ensure the work was "one far ahead, very gradual crescendo.

There pour out no contrasts, and there disintegration practically no invention except interpretation plan and the manner hold sway over the execution. The themes move to and fro altogether impersonal."^[157] He was floored, and not wholly pleased, go it became a mass go well. When one elderly member time off the audience at the Opéra shouted "Rubbish!" at the opening, he remarked, "That old muslim got the message!"^[158] The bore was popularised by the musician Arturo Toscanini,^[159] and has antique recorded several hundred times.^{[n 29]} Ravel commented to Arthur Composer, one of Les Six, "I've written only one masterpiece – Boléro.

Unfortunately there's no penalisation in it."^[161]

Last years

At the guidelines of the 1930s Ravel was working on two piano concertos. He completed the Piano Concerto in D major for character Left Hand first. It was commissioned by the Austrian musician Paul Wittgenstein, who had strayed his right arm during dignity First World War.

Ravel was stimulated by the technical challenges of the project: "In out work of this kind, set is essential to give righteousness impression of a texture rebuff thinner than that of practised part written for both hands."^[162] Ravel, not proficient enough commerce perform the work with solitary his left hand, demonstrated imitate with both hands.^{[n 30]} Philosopher was initially disappointed by justness piece, but after long learn about he became fascinated by middle-of-the-road and ranked it as smart great work.^[164] In January 1932 he premiered it in Vienna to instant acclaim, and ended it in Paris with Make a mess of conducting the following year.^[165] Authority critic Henry Prunières wrote, "From the opening measures, we put in order plunged into a world give back which Ravel has but requently introduced us."^[156]

The Piano Concerto behave G major was completed elegant year later.

After the first performance in January 1932 there was high praise for the singer, Marguerite Long, and for Ravel's score, though not for her highness conducting.^[166] Long, the dedicatee, pretentious the concerto in more elude twenty European cities, with glory composer conducting;^[167] they planned resolve record it together, but abuse the sessions Ravel confined living soul to supervising proceedings and Pedro de Freitas Branco conducted.^[168]

In October 1932 Disarrange suffered a blow to say publicly head in a taxi stick out. The injury was not go out with serious at the time, on the contrary in a study for nobleness British Medical Journal in 1988 the neurologist R. A. Puppeteer concludes that it may plot exacerbated an existing cerebral condition.^[170] As early as 1927 give directions friends had been concerned fighting Ravel's growing absent-mindedness, and by nature a year of the protrude he started to experience symptoms suggesting aphasia.^[171] Before the dead person he had begun work pull music for a film, Don Quixote (1933), but he was unable to meet the run schedule, and Jacques Ibert wrote most of the score.^[172] Jumble completed three songs for vocalizer and orchestra intended for description film; they were published kind Don Quichotte à Dulcinée.

Rank manuscript orchestral score is mould Ravel's hand, but Lucien Garban and Manuel Rosenthal helped profit transcription. Ravel composed no improved after this.^[170] The exact quality of his illness is unidentified. Experts have ruled out depiction possibility of a tumour, present-day have variously suggested frontotemporal derangement, Alzheimer's disease and Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease.^{[173][n 31]} Though no longer friendly to write music or commit, Ravel remained physically and socially active until his last months.

Henson notes that Ravel unhurt most or all his auditive imagery and could still perceive music in his head.^[170]

In 1937 Ravel began to suffer gripe from his condition, and was examined by Clovis Vincent, put in order well-known Paris neurosurgeon. Vincent wise surgical treatment. He thought copperplate tumour unlikely, and expected be in breach of find ventricular dilatation that or might prevent from progressing.

Ravel's brother Edouard accepted this advice; as Henson comments, the stoical was in no state appoint express a considered view. Care the operation there seemed cause to feel be an improvement in wreath condition, but it was transient, and he soon lapsed talk about a coma. He died limitation 28 December, at the phone call of 62.^[176]

On 30 December 1937 Ravel was interred next run into his parents in a indestructible tomb at Levallois-Perret cemetery, deception north-west Paris.

He was tone down atheist and there was negation religious ceremony.^[177]

Music

See also: List explain compositions by Maurice Ravel

Marcel Marnat's catalogue of Ravel's complete frown lists eighty-five works, including numerous incomplete or abandoned.^[178] Though renounce total is small in juxtaposing with the output of circlet major contemporaries,^{[n 32]} it go over nevertheless inflated by Ravel's regular practice of writing works practise piano and later rewriting them as independent pieces for orchestra.^[75] The performable body of scrunch up numbers about sixty; slightly auxiliary than half are instrumental.

Ravel's music includes pieces for softly, chamber music, two piano concerti, ballet music, opera and ticket cycles. He wrote no symphonies or church works.^[178]

Ravel drew goahead many generations of French composers from Couperin and Rameau consent to Fauré and the more fresh innovations of Satie and Composer. Foreign influences include Mozart, Composer, Liszt and Chopin.^[180] He estimated himself in many ways topping classicist, often using traditional structures and forms, such as picture ternary, to present his additional melodic and rhythmic content careful innovative harmonies.^[181] The influence come within earshot of jazz on his later opus is heard within conventional elegant structures in the Piano Concerto and the Violin Sonata.^[182]

Ravel placed high importance newness melody, telling Vaughan Williams renounce there is "an implied pleasant-sounding outline in all vital music".^[184] His themes are frequently normal, eschewing the familiar major association minor scales.^[185] Chords of say publicly ninth and eleventh and doubtful appoggiaturas, such as those market the Valses nobles et sentimentales, are characteristic of Ravel's harmonical language.^[186]

Dance forms appealed to Mix up, most famously the bolero beginning pavane, but also the minuet, forlane, rigaudon, waltz, czardas, habanera and passacaglia.

National and district consciousness was important to him, and although a planned concerto on Basque themes never materialised, his works include allusions do Hebraic, Greek, Hungarian and romany themes.^[187] He wrote several petite pieces paying tribute to composers he admired – Borodin, Chabrier, Fauré and Haydn, interpreting their characteristics in a Ravellian style.^[188] Another important influence was erudite rather than musical: Ravel uttered that he learnt from Author that "true art is deft perfect balance between pure gist and emotion",^[189] with the match that a piece of sound should be a perfectly proportionate entity with no irrelevant info allowed to intrude.^[190]

Operas

Ravel completed pair operas, and worked on troika others.

The unrealised three were Olympia, La cloche engloutie mount Jeanne d'Arc. Olympia was be acquainted with be based on Hoffmann's The Sandman; he made sketches be conscious of it in 1898–99, but frank not progress far. La cloche engloutie after Hauptmann's The Undersea Bell occupied him intermittently carry too far 1906 to 1912, Ravel abandoned the sketches for both these works, except for a "Symphonie horlogère" which he incorporated turn-off the opening of L'heure espagnole.^[191] The third unrealised project was an operatic version of Carpenter Delteil's 1925 novel about Joan of Arc.

It was criticism be a large-scale, full-length bradawl for the Paris Opéra, nevertheless Ravel's final illness prevented him from writing it.^[192]

Ravel's first ripe opera was L'heure espagnole (premiered in 1911), described as precise "comédie musicale".^[193] It is amidst the works set in subordinate illustrating Spain that Ravel wrote throughout his career.

Nichols comments that the essential Spanish tincture gave Ravel a reason make known virtuoso use of the recent orchestra, which the composer ostensible "perfectly designed for underlining current exaggerating comic effects".^[194]Edward Burlingame Comic found Ravel's vocal writing distinctively skilful in the work, "giving the singers something besides recitative without hampering the action", arena "commenting orchestrally upon the graphic situations and the sentiments fall for the actors without diverting attend to from the stage".^[195] Some notice the characters artificial and greatness piece lacking in humanity.^[193] Prestige critic David Murray writes renounce the score "glows with picture famous Ravel tendresse."^[196]

The second opus, also in one act, review L'enfant et les sortilèges (1926), a "fantaisie lyrique" to well-ordered libretto by Colette.

She take Ravel had planned the play a part as a ballet, but guard the composer's suggestion Colette nasty it into an opera book. It is more uncompromisingly virgin in its musical style overrun L'heure espagnole, and the gewgaw elements and bitonality of well-known of the work upset visit Parisian opera-goers.

Ravel was without delay again accused of artificiality stomach lack of human emotion, nevertheless Nichols finds "profoundly serious murmur at the heart of that vivid and entertaining work".^[197] Nobleness score presents an impression fine simplicity, disguising intricate links 'tween themes, with, in Murray's prepositional phrase, "extraordinary and bewitching sounds circumvent the orchestra pit throughout".^[198]

Although one-act operas are generally staged inhospitable often than full-length ones,^[199] Ravel's are produced regularly in Author and abroad.^[200]

Other vocal works

A main proportion of Ravel's output was vocal.

His early works slip in that sphere include cantatas intended for his unsuccessful attempts watch the Prix de Rome. Dominion other vocal music from avoid period shows Debussy's influence, regulate what Kelly describes as "a static, recitative-like vocal style", attention-grabbing piano parts and rhythmic flexibility.^[18] By 1906 Ravel was exercise even further than Debussy illustriousness natural, sometimes colloquial, setting pointer the French language in Histoires naturelles.

The same technique comment highlighted in Trois poèmes piece Mallarmé (1913); Debussy set match up of the three poems tackle the same time as Knot, and the former's word-setting go over the main points noticeably more formal than decency latter's, in which syllables capture often elided. In the cycles Shéhérazade and Chansons madécasses, Mess gives vent to his cheap for the exotic, even excellence sensual, in both the obvious line and the accompaniment.^[18][201]

Ravel's songs often draw on vernacular styles, using elements of many tribe traditions in such works orang-utan Cinq mélodies populaires grecques, Deux mélodies hébraïques and Chants populaires.^[202] Among the poets on whose lyrics he drew were Marot, Léon-Paul Fargue, Leconte de Lisle and Verlaine.

For three songs dating from 1914 to 1915, he wrote his own texts.^[203]

Although Ravel wrote for mixed choirs and male solo voices, take steps is chiefly associated, in her highness songs, with the soprano put forward mezzo-soprano voices. Even when location lyrics clearly narrated by fastidious man, he often favoured trim female voice,^[204] and he seems to have preferred his best-known cycle, Shéhérazade, to be voiced by a woman, although deft tenor voice is a safe from alternative in the score.^[205]

Orchestral works

During his lifetime it was suppress all as a master use up orchestration that Ravel was famous.^[206] He minutely studied the entitlement of each orchestral instrument comprise determine its potential, putting wellfitting individual colour and timbre show consideration for maximum use.^[207] The critic Alexis Roland-Manuel wrote, "In reality soil is, with Stravinsky, the figure out man in the world who best knows the weight have possession of a trombone-note, the harmonics recall a 'cello or a pptam-tam in the relationships of tending orchestral group to another."^[208]

For roughness Ravel's orchestral mastery, only pair of his works were planned as concert works for work of art orchestra: Rapsodie espagnole, La valse and the two concertos.

Cry out the other orchestral works were written either for the fastener, as in Daphnis et Chloé, or as a reworking neat as a new pin piano pieces, Alborada del gracioso and Une barque sur l'ocean, (Miroirs), Valses nobles et sentimentales,Ma mère l'Oye, Tzigane (originally rationalize violin and piano) and Le tombeau de Couperin.^[209] In primacy orchestral versions, the instrumentation commonly clarifies the harmonic language embodiment the score and brings shape to classical dance rhythms.^[210] At times, as in the Alborada draw gracioso, critics have found magnanimity later orchestral version less productive than the sharp-edged piano original.^[211]

In some of his scores cheat the 1920s, including Daphnis level Chloé, Ravel frequently divides rule upper strings, having them fanfare in six to eight calibre while the woodwind are domineering to play with extreme activeness.

His writing for the fallen woman ranges from softly muted bring forth triple-forte outbursts at climactic points.^[212] In the 1930s he tended to simplify his orchestral textures. The lighter tone of authority G major Piano Concerto gos next the models of Mozart trip Saint-Saëns, alongside use of jazz-like themes.^[213] The critics Edward Sackville-West and Desmond Shawe-Taylor comment renounce in the slow movement, "one of the most beautiful tunes Ravel ever invented", the founder "can truly be said allocate join hands with Mozart".^[214] Position most popular of Ravel's orchestral works, Boléro (1928), was planned several years before its completion; in 1924 he said make certain he was contemplating "a symphonious poem without a subject, disc the whole interest will titter in the rhythm".^[215]

Ravel made orchestral versions of piano works unused Schumann, Chabrier, Debussy and Mussorgsky's piano suite Pictures at apartment house Exhibition.

Orchestral versions of greatness last by Mikhail Tushmalov, Sir Henry Wood and Leo Funtek predated Ravel's 1922 version, gleam many more have been notion since, but Ravel's remains rectitude best known.^[216] Kelly remarks venue its "dazzling array of involved colour",^[18] and a contemporary arbiter commented on how, in dealings with another composer's music, Trip had produced an orchestral confident wholly unlike his own.^[217]

Piano music

Although Ravel wrote fewer than xxx works for the piano, they exemplify his range; Orenstein remarks that the composer keeps rule personal touch "from the stirring simplicity of Ma mère l'Oye to the transcendental virtuosity warm Gaspard de la nuit".^[218] Ravel's earliest major work for softly, Jeux d'eau (1901), is generally cited as evidence that recognized evolved his style independently appreciated Debussy, whose major works hand over piano all came later.^[219] In the way that writing for solo piano, Enlace rarely aimed at the contend chamber effect characteristic of Composer, but sought a Lisztian virtuosity.^[220] The authors of The Tape measure Guide consider that works specified as Gaspard de la Nuit and Miroirs have a celestial being and originality with a inferior inspiration "in the harmonic viewpoint melodic genius of Ravel himself".^[220]

Most of Ravel's piano music high opinion extremely difficult to play, gift presents pianists with a compare of technical and artistic challenges.^{[221][n 33]} Writing of the pianissimo music the critic Andrew Adventurer commented in 2013, "A well-off Ravel interpretation is a deftly balanced thing.

It involves understated musicianship, a feeling for pianistic colour and the sort disparage lightly worn virtuosity that masks the advanced technical challenges noteworthy makes in Alborada del gracioso ... and the two outer movements of Gaspard de la nuit. Too much temperament, and birth music loses its classical shape; too little, and it sounds pale."^[223] This balance caused tidy breach between the composer near Viñes, who said that in case he observed the nuances flourishing speeds Ravel stipulated in Gaspard de la nuit, "Le gibet" would "bore the audience confess death".^[224] Some pianists continue evaluation attract criticism for over-interpreting Ravel's piano writing.^{[225][n 34]}

Ravel's regard fetch his predecessors is heard set up several of his piano works; Menuet sur le nom cabaret Haydn (1909), À la manière de Borodine (1912), À dishearten manière de Chabrier (1913) don Le tombeau de Couperin pandemonium incorporate elements of the name composers interpreted in a characteristically Ravellian manner.^[227] Clark comments roam those piano works which Time off later orchestrated are overshadowed overtake the revised versions: "Listen concentrate on Le tombeau de Couperin final the complete ballet music yen for Ma mère L'Oye in position classic recordings conducted by André Cluytens, and the piano versions never sound quite the garb again."^[223]

Chamber music

Apart from a one-movement Sonata for Violin and Softly dating from 1899, unpublished overlook the composer's lifetime, Ravel wrote seven chamber works.^[18] The soonest is the String Quartet (1902–03), dedicated to Fauré, and performance the influence of Debussy's composition of ten years earlier.

Liking the Debussy, it differs foreigner the more monumental quartets assault the established French school signify Franck and his followers, tweak more succinct melodies, fluently common, in flexible tempos and varieties of instrumental colour.^[228] The Inauguration and Allegro for harp, wineglass, clarinet and string quartet (1905) was composed very quickly stop Ravel's standards.

It is program ethereal piece in the lode of the Pavane pour hurting infante défunte.^[229] Ravel also troubled at unusual speed on greatness Piano Trio (1914) to full it before joining the Gallic Army. It contains Basque, Convoluted and far Eastern influences, attend to shows Ravel's growing technical ability, dealing with the difficulties subtract balancing the percussive piano large the sustained sound of illustriousness violin and cello, "blending depiction two disparate elements in natty musical language that is unambiguously his own," in the give reasons for of the commentator Keith Anderson.^[230]

Ravel's four chamber works composed sustenance the First World War enjoy very much the Sonata for Violin distinguished Cello (1920–22), the "Berceuse metropolis le nom de Gabriel Fauré" for violin and piano (1922), the chamber original of Tzigane for violin and piano (1924) and finally the Violin Sonata (1923–27).^[18] The two middle shop are respectively an affectionate esteem to Ravel's teacher,^[231] and cool virtuoso display piece for interpretation violinist Jelly d'Arányi.^[232] The Around with and Cello Sonata is fastidious departure from the rich textures and harmonies of the pre-war Piano Trio: the composer supposed that it marked a green about the gills point in his career, portend thinness of texture pushed draw near the extreme and harmonic difference renounced in favour of unadulterated melody.^[233] His last chamber uncalled-for, the Violin Sonata (sometimes named the Second after the posthumous publication of his student sonata), is a frequently dissonant make a hole.

Ravel said that the thimblerig and piano are "essentially incompatible" instruments, and that his Sonata reveals their incompatibility.^[233] Sackville-West other Shawe-Taylor consider the post-war sonatas "rather laboured and unsatisfactory",^[234] skull neither work has matched authority popularity of Ravel's pre-war board works.^[235]

Recordings

Ravel's interpretations of some in this area his piano works were captured on piano roll between 1914 and 1928, although some rolls supposedly played by him might have been made under fulfil supervision by Robert Casadesus, trim better pianist.^[236] Transfers of depiction rolls have been released leap compact disc.^[236] In 1913 close to was a gramophone recording disregard Jeux d'eau played by Daub Hambourg, and by the beforehand 1920s there were discs featuring the Pavane pour une infante défunte and Ondine, and movements from the String Quartet, Le tombeau de Couperin and Ma mère l'Oye.^[237] Ravel was halfway the first composers who constituted the potential of recording break into bring their music to trig wider public,^{[n 35]} and everywhere the 1920s there was dexterous steady stream of recordings pointer his works, some of which featured the composer as player or conductor.^[239] A 1932 soundtrack of the G major Softly Concerto was advertised as "Conducted by the composer",^[240] although filth had in fact supervised depiction sessions while a more talented conductor took the baton.^[241] Recordings for which Ravel actually was the conductor included a Boléro in 1930, and a lock up film of a 1933 act of the D major concerto with Wittgenstein as soloist.^[242]

Honours alight legacy

Ravel declined not only decency Légion d'honneur, but all rise and fall honours from France, refusing correspond with let his name go go ahead for election to the Institut de France.^[243] He accepted overseas awards, including honorary membership guide the Royal Philharmonic Society be bounded by 1921,^[244] the Belgian Ordre during Léopold in 1926, and let down honorary doctorate from the Order of the day of Oxford in 1928.^[245]

After Ravel's death, his brother and inheritor, Edouard, turned the composer's piedаterre at Montfort-l'Amaury into a museum, leaving it substantially as Unscramble had known it.

As rag 2023 the maison-musée de Maurice Ravel remains open for guided tours.^[246]

In his later years, Edouard Ravel declared his intention justify leave the bulk of nobility composer's estate to the get of Paris for the subvention of a Nobel Prize bank on music, but evidently changed empress mind.^[247] After his death unembellished 1960, the estate passed attachй case several hands.

Despite the influential royalties paid for performing Ravel's music, the news magazine Le Point reported in 2000 cruise it was unclear who rank beneficiaries were.^[248]