Maurice Ravel Archive

Maurice Ravel’s “La valse” exists in three versions – including this one for two pianos – all written between December 1919 and March 1920. The preface to the score includes the following descriptive note: “Whirling …

Maurice Ravel originally composed his Pièce en forme de Habanera as a Vocalise etude en forme de Habanera for bass voice and piano in 1907. Ravel took as his model the slow, sultry Spanish dance …

Pavane for a Dead Princess (in French: Pavane pour une Infante Defunte) is a luxurious ceremonial dance for piano by French impressionist composer Maurice Ravel. Later it was also transcribed to become an orchestral work. …

Though Ravel may have been a perfectionist as a composer, he seems to have felt a certain freedom to be bold and spontaneous in writing his String Quartet. This work is often considered Ravel’s first …

Pianist Helene Grimaud is an amazing musician. She is also an exceptional person on an interpersonal basis. I learned this when I interviewed her while she was on a European tour. She was willing to …