Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author The image holder, the Bibliothèque nationale de France has not identified a photographer. (Follow link and click on "Detailed information".) / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Ravel is, to my ear, the great jeweler of orchestral sound. Boléro gets dismissed as a one-trick crescendo, but I hear an architect's blueprint, every repetition calculated toward that final detonation. He resisted the Impressionist label, and I agree with him: where Debussy blurs, Ravel sharpens, carving clean edges out of color. The diabolical difficulty of Gaspard de la nuit and the sensuality of Daphnis et Chloé both seem rooted in the seaside Basque world of his birth. Even the Prix de Rome scandals make him more human to me. A posthumous Grammy Hall of Fame entry only confirms what I already feel: his precision is timeless.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Maurice Ravel
- Name (Japanese)
- モーリス・ラヴェル
- Reading
- もーりす・らゔぇる
- Born
- March 7, 1875 – December 28, 1937
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Boar
- Origin
- Ciboure, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- conductor / pianist / composer
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- Prix de Rome
- Knight of the Legion of Honour
- 1991 Grammy Hall of Fame
- Honorary Member of the International Society for Contemporary Music
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Daphnis et Chloé | — | |
| Notable work | Boléro | — | |
| Notable work | Miroirs | — | |
| Notable work | Piano Concerto | — | |
| Notable work | Gaspard de la nuit | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Maurice Ravel born?
March 7, 1875 – December 28, 1937.
Where is Maurice Ravel from?
Maurice Ravel is from Ciboure, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France.
What does Maurice Ravel do?
Maurice Ravel works as conductor, pianist, composer.
What is Maurice Ravel known for?
Notable works include Daphnis et Chloé, Boléro, Miroirs.
Conductor — see all → · Pianist — see all → · More people from France →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.