Ravel

When?

March 7 1875

December 28 1937, age 62

Where?

Ciboure, France

Ravel was a

Modern

composer.

Ravel loved combining different instruments, just like a painter uses colors in a painting. And those different colors create different feelings when you hear it.

Ravel’s most famous piece is called Boléro. It’s very unusual because it’s just the same tune over and over again. For fourteen minutes!

Ravel was born near the Spanish border, which is why his music often uses Spanish rhythms, instrumentation and melodies.

Ravel wrote piano music that was so smooth and watery, it sounded like water, but if you looked at the printed music, it was black with hundreds of notes and very hard to play!

Ravel was an amazing orchestrator, which is what a composer does when they decide which instrument will play what notes. He could take a simple piano part and create a shimmery orchestral sound.

Ravel loved combining different instruments, just like a painter uses colors in a painting. The musical ideas aren't connected by a traditional harmonic progression, but by emotion: one feeling leading to another.

Fun Facts

Both Maestros

Music with no Music In It

Boléro does not behave like normal music with different melodies and harmonies that change, which is what Ravel wanted! He said, “there is no music in it!” What do you think he meant?

Both Maestros

My Left Hand

Ravel wrote his Piano Concerto for the Left Hand for a pianist who lost his right arm during World War I. Since the pianist could only use his left hand, Ravel wrote it to be played only with one hand!

Both Maestros

Beautiful Machine

Ravel loved visiting factories because he liked the movements and noises of the machines. Maybe that’s why Boléro feels like a beautiful machine getting louder and more intense!