Maurice Ravel was born in Ciboure, Basses-Pyrénées, March 7th, 1875.
Shortly after his birth, his family moved to Paris. Henri Ghis was his
first piano-teacher, Charles-René his first teacher of composition. He
took piano-lessons of Ricardo Viñès, and in 1891 was awarded a "première
médaille" in piano-playing at the Conservatoire. In 1897 Ravel entered
the class of Fauré. In 1898, his "Sites auriculaires" were publicly
performed. In 1901 he failed for the first time to gain the Prix de
Rome. His quartet was performed in 1904. In 1903 he failed for the
fourth time to gain the Prix de Rome. "Histoires naturelles" were
performed in 1907, the "Rapsodie espagnole" in 1908. "L'Heure espagnole"
was given at the Opéra Comique in 1911. "Daphnis et Chloé" was performed
by the Russian Ballet in 1912. During the war Ravel served as ambulance
driver. He was wounded while serving before Verdun, and dismissed from
service. He is living at present in Paris.
The dates of composition of his principal works are:
"Miroirs," 1905; "Sonatine," 1905; "Gaspard de la Nuit," 1908; "Valses
nobles et sentimentales," 1911; "Ma Mère l'Oye," 1908; "Histoires
naturelles," 1906; "Cinq Mélodies populaires grecques," 1907; "Trois
Poèmes de Mallarmé," 1913; "Quatuor à cordes," 1902-03; "Introduction et
Allégro pour harpe," 1906; "Rapsodie espagnole," 1907; "Daphnis et
Chloé," 1906-11; "L'Heure espagnole," 1907; "Le Tombeau de Couperin,"
1914-17.