Maurice Ravel
Born March 7, 1875 in Ciboure (France). Died Dec. 28, 1937 in Paris (France).
Ravel proved his genius for ballet music with Daphnis and Chloé, which was first performed by the company of Diaghilev. The First World War was to break this magnificent creative surge. Weakened and traumatised by the slaughter, the composer wrote poignant and masterful works like the Tombeau for Couperin, an offering to the victims of the war. Suffering from ill health, Ravel spent the last years of his life in his house in Monfort-l’Amaury composing the two piano concertos, his final works.
Between nostalgia and tenderness, Ravel’s work never ceases to sing of childhood. From Mother Goose to The Child and the Spells, the composer unfurls a palette of magical colours. Always precise, sometimes concise, Ravel’s writing is meticulous, a perfect balance between sensual flights of lyricism and moments of implacable rhythm magnified by flamboyant orchestration. A man of discretion who kept away from conflicts, Ravel left behind a work of unique perfection carved from crystal.
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Léon-Paul Fargue
