“We should always remember that sensitiveness and emotion constitute the real content of a work of art.”

—Maurice Ravel

 

Maurice Ravel was born on March 7, 1875, in Ciboure, France, to a Basque mother and Swiss father. In 1889, at the age of 14, Ravel began taking courses at the Paris Conservatoire, a prestigious music and dance school located in the capital of France, studying under Gabriel Fauré.

 

Ravel continued to study at the Conservatoire until his early 20s, during which time he composed some of his most renowned works, including the Pavane pour une infante défunte (Pavane for a Dead Princess; 1899); the Jeux d'eau (1901), also known as "Fountains" or "Playing Water."

 

Ravel's later works include the Le Tombeau de Couperin, a suite composed circa 1917 for the solo piano, and the orchestral pieces Rapsodie espagnole and Boléro. Possibly the most famous of his works, Ravel was commissioned by Sergey Diaghilev to create the ballet Daphnis et Chloé, which he completed in 1912. Eight years later, in 1920, he completed La Valse, a piece with varying credits as a ballet and concert work.

 

Ravel died in Paris, France, on December 28, 1937. Today, he remains widely regarded as France's most popular composer. He is remembered for once stating, "The only love affair I have ever had was with music."