Ravel: Complete music for solo piano

Born in 1875, Ravel was fêted during the 1920s and '30s as France's greatest living composer - a remarkable achievement considering the obstacles placed in his path by the ultra-conservative Parisian musical elite of his time. (Ravel was expelled from the Paris Conservatoire twice!) His unique musical style, combining classical form and impressionistic harmony, makes his work immediately recognisable. Compared to others, Ravel, immensely self-critical, was a slow and conscientious composer, but almost all his relatively small output remains in the repertoire and is performed and recorded regularly.

The piano was Ravel's first instrument, and although he was no virtuoso himself, he successfully composed some of the most virtuosic pieces in the repertoire, reflecting his extraordinary understanding of the instrument and exactly what sounds and effects he wanted to achieve. He orchestrated a significant number of his piano works, which presents another challenge to the performer: once she or he has heard Ravel's orchestration of a work, this must of course influence one's perception of the original. (This is equally true for the listener, of course.) Jean-Efflam Bavouzet notes: 'I subscribe completely to Ravel's idea that a composer does not have to be profound in order to write good music. And furthermore, owing no doubt to his modest character, Ravel rarely addresses us in the first person. He does not confide in us intimately except on the rarest occasions. At these exceptional moments, our admiration for this musical giant, for his intelligence and elegant style of writing, for his perfect proportions, give way to a wave of emotion that is difficult to contain.'