The Best of Maurice Ravel

Enjoy the best music of Maurice Ravel! A tracklist is below. The pieces which are marked with a star I see as exceptional interpretations.
(click show more)

*0:00 Pavane Pour une Infante Défunte (Pavane for a dead princess)
5:46 "Ondine" from Gaspard de la Nuit
12:13 Menuet from Le Tombeau de Couperin
*17:04 Jeux d'Eau
22:37 Sonatine 1
26:43 Miroirs #3, "Une Barque sur l'Océan"
33:43 Prelude from Le Tombeau de Couperin
*36:50 Toccata from le Tombeau de Couperin
*40:41 Miroirs #4, "Alborada del Gracioso"
46:57 Piano Concerto in G Major, Movement 2
56:02 Bolero

P.S. 45:34 is almost too cool to exist

[NoahJohnson]

Hello friends! There's been a lot of new viewers lately...how did you come across this video today?

[davelester]

My orchestra prof. had many interesting memories of Ravel he shared with us. I was lucky. Now I am 72 and it seemed long ago, but still alive inside me.

[ТантрическийЙогин-бб]

it is just amazing how he plays without even looking at piano and without touching it! Real master!

[Gar]

“I have so much music in my head, I have said nothing; I have so much more to say.”

One of Maurice Ravel’s last words.

[gracemcmillen]

“Pavane for a dead princess” is so melancholy, but so gentle at the same time. It’s like ghosts are tucking you in at night

[paulademichele]

Regarding the underlying melancholy in so much of Ravel's music, perhaps people don't know that as a younger man he was an ambulance driver in World War I. He saw the mud, the trenches full of rats, the thousands of dead horses that pulled artillery guns and the soldiers who died in the ambulances on the way to the medical tents after he pulled them out of the killing fields. That Ravel could create so much intense beauty out of such years of horror is a miracle and a tribute to the goodness of the human spirit. (Please note, I do not send replies.)

[mauritiusdunfagel]

The Pavanne (the first piece)is the most magical piece of music ever composed. I fell in love with it when I was a boy of 10! Now I’m 70 and I still feel it’s enchantment! Merci, Maurice!

[wonderingheights]

After searching for calming but energetic music to keep my mind focused while working, I clicked on a Chopin video, which led me to Debussy, which led me to Satie, which led me to Ravel, which led me to Respighi, which led me to Fanny Mendelssohn and then Clara Schumann...I never knew such wonderful pieces of piano art existed. Never looking back...

[anti-bien-pensants]

No matter what people say, impressionist music is just one of the most elaborate forms of music in general.

[kselka]

Since everyone already commented on how beautiful the music is, I'll just say that Ravel was truly handsome

[lizstraub]

Ravel was my cousin. My mother was a Ravel. My grandfather knew him. I enjoy reading the comments almost as much as listening to his music, played by such an amazingly talented pianist! He was quite a character, and would be so pleased to know that this cousin of his not only is a trained soprano but MY son is also an accomplished musician. The genes will out! Bonne nuit!

[FluffyFractalshard]

of all the classical music, I love impressionist music the most..
it is so emotional.. like water it flows over and around obstacles, it has no aim, just wants to be - pure and without intention

[scottdetter]

Ravel has a mysterious darkness to his music but in a good way.

[aldoringo]

If you've ever tried to compose, or even done it for years you will realise how easy this man makes it look and how genius he was.

[GustavoDiazV]

I really appreciate people like you give their precious time to gather music as beautiful as Ravel's and other genius musicians, and give it as a gift to people around the world. Many blessings to you Noah ! Thank you!

[moldysandwich]

Ravel is one of my favorite composers because of the fact that there is so many notes in the music that look like they would sound horrible, but it ends up sounding different and uniquely... beautiful.

[na-kun]

9:29 Why nobody say about this incredible buildup and 9:42 MOST CRAZY COLORFUL STUNNING AND EMOTIONAL CLIMAX. It just most amazing thing in my life that I ever heard.

[oakiron]

Ravel knew the human soul, the human heart... his music speaks to us all.. who listen.

[hayesmz]

There's a sadness from World War 1 and melancholy that everyone overlooks in the profundity of the simplicity in his heart. That's the joy! Remembering, overcoming and carrying on. And then World War 2 happened 20 years later. We have no idea what people overcame and we forget and complain. Beat Covid 19!

[maxolydiann]

this pianist plays alborada with such technical crispness that it is hard to believe it is done with only two hands. ❤️