MUSIC

INFORMACIÓN SOBRE RAVEL PARA EL 3º CICLO

 Ravel was born in the French Basque town of Ciboure, close to the border with Spain. His mother was  from the Basque Country and grew up in Madrid.

Ravel was very fond of his mother, and her Basque- Spanish heritage was a strong influence on his life and music. Among his memories are folk songs she sang to him.

The family moved to Paris and there Maurice began piano lessons at the age of six. Though obviously talented at the piano, Ravel demonstrated a preference for composing.

At twenty years of age, he dressed like a dandy, he liked to dress very smartly.

Ravel remained closed to childhood and composed works such as  "The children and the magic" and "My mother the goose" (" The Sleeping Beauty", "Thumbling "and "The Beauty and the Beast").

Ravel was a perfectionist and composed little and very slowly, finding his inspiration in woods and in the streets of Paris.He wrote lovely piano music, most of which is difficult to play. His music for orchestra is full of colour, poetry and sound effects.

Ravel was a truck driver in World War I but he became ill. After a time in the hospital he went to Paris and died in 1937.