Maurice Ravel
A beautifully crafted biography examines both the music and the man.
Gerald Larner
- Examines Maurice Ravel (1875-1937), composer of works such as Boléro and Pavane pour une Infante défunte, as both a composer and a man
- Traces Ravel's emotional preoccupations and their effect on his work through events in his life and in the society around him
- Adds to our understanding of an enigmatic and intensely private composer
Paperback
156 x 220 mm, 6 1/8 x 8 5/8 in
240 pp
80 black and white illustrations
ISBN 9780714832708
0714832707
The music of Maurice Ravel (1875-1937), from the monumental Le Tombeau de Couperin to the rousing Boléro, has maintained its ability to delight throughout the twentieth century. Although brought up in Paris, Ravel's Basque ancestry instilled in him an acute regard for Spain and its music that informed several of his most famous pieces.
Gerald Larner's beautifully crafted biography examines both the music and the man, looking at his emotional preoccupations and their effect on his work. Full of fresh insights, this book will add to our understanding of an intriguingly enigmatic and intensely private composer.
Gerald Larner was a music critic for the Guardian for many years and currently writes for The Times.
'Excellent, conversational, full of vivid colour and dry wit.' (The Scotsman)
'A fluent and lucid introduction. His text is expertly paced.' (Classical Music)
'Full of insights and contriving to tell us much about the music.' (Sunday Telegraph)
'As a series, Phaidon's 20th Century Composers has brought remarkable variety and a welter of information, both necessary and delightfully trivial. Intended both for the general reader and for the more enthusiatically musical...' (The Scotsman)