Maurice Ravel

Maurice Ravel was a French composer of the late Romantic and modern periods, born in the Basque town of Ciboure and raised in Paris. He trained at the Paris Conservatoire, where his early works drew both acclaim and controversy, including repeated failures to win the Prix de Rome. His output spans orchestral, chamber, piano, vocal, and stage music, marked by precision of form, harmonic color, and orchestral craft. Notable works include Boléro, Pavane pour une infante défunte, Rapsodie espagnole, the ballet Daphnis et Chloé, and the opera L'Enfant et les sortilèges. In later years he lived at Montfort-l'Amaury and toured internationally before illness ended his career.