Famous  French  People  Maurice  Ravel  ©  by  Robert  Shepherd  

 

Hello,  you’re  listening  to  Robert  Shepherd  on  EnglishWaves.  

It’s   time   for   the   latest   instalment   of   Famous   French   and   we’re   going   to   focus   on  someone  from  the  world  of  classical  music.  Our  latest  subject  was  a  19th  and  early  20th  century  composer,  whose  best-­‐known  works  are  Boléro  and  Daphnis  et  Chloé.  By  now  you’ve  probably  guessed  it’s  Maurice  Ravel.  

He  was  born  on  7th  March  1875  in  Ciboure,  France.  Ravel’s  father,  Pierre-­‐Joseph  Ravel,  was  as  an  educated  and  successful  engineer,  inventor  and  manufacturer,  born  in  Versoix  near  the  Franco-­‐Swiss  border.  Ravel’s  mother,  Marie,  came  from  a  Basque  family.  Both  Ravel's  parents  were  Roman  Catholics.  

At   the  age  of  14,  Ravel  was  admitted   to   the  prestigious  music  and  dance  school  Paris  Conservatoire,  and  he  later  studied  under  the  great  Gabriel  Fauré.    

Ravel  continued  to  study  at  the  school  until  his  early  20s.  During  that  time  he  composed  some  of  his  most  renowned  works,  such  as  the  Pavane  pour  une   infante  défunte,  Jeux  d'eau  and  a  piece  that  Ravel  dedicated  to  Fauré  called  String  Quartet  in  F  Major.  What’s  more,  Ravel  went  on  to  compose  Le  Tombeau  de  Couperin,  a  suite  written  for  the  solo  piano,  plus  the  orchestral  pieces  Rapsodie  espagnole  and  Boléro.    

His  stock  rose  so  high  that  he  was  commissioned  by  Sergey  Diaghilev  to  create  the  ballet  Daphnis  et  Chloé,  which  he  completed  in  1912.    

In   1920,   he   completed   La   Valse,   a   piece   with   varying   credits   as   a   ballet   and   concert  work.  

Throughout  his  life,  Ravel  declined  not  only  the  Légion  d'honneur  but  all  state  honours  from  France,  refusing  to  let  his  name  go  forward  for  election  to  the  Institut  de  France.  

However,  he  wasn’t  averse  to  accepting  foreign  awards,  including  honorary  membership  of   the   Royal   Philharmonic   Society   in   1921   and   an   honorary   doctorate   from   the  University  of  Oxford  in  1928.    

Ravel,   who   many   claim   to   be   France’s   best-­‐loved   composer,   died   in   Paris   on   28th  December,   1937.  He   is   remembered   for   stating,   "The  only   love   affair   I   have   ever   had  was  with  music."  

After  Ravel's  death  his  brother  Edouard,  converted  the  composer's  house  at  Montfort-­‐l'Amaury   into   a   museum,   leaving   it   pretty   much   as   Ravel   had   lived   in   it.   Today   the  Maison-­‐Musée  de  Maurice  Ravel  is  open  to  the  public.  

Stay  tuned  to  EnglishWaves.