Bolero: The Life of Maurice Ravel

Madeleine Goss

• Publisher: Paeroa House
• Year: 2026
• eBook ISBN:
  9781779796066
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Classical Music

From the smoky concert halls of Belle Époque Paris to the revolutionary rhythms that would captivate the world, one man's musical genius defied convention and created immortal beauty. Maurice Ravel, the enigmatic composer behind the hypnotic masterpiece "Bolero," lived a life as intricate and mesmerizing as his most celebrated compositions. This is the story of an artist who transformed personal struggle into transcendent art, whose delicate hands crafted melodies that would echo through eternity. Madeleine Goss unveils the fascinating contradictions of Ravel's existence: a man of exquisite sensitivity navigating a world increasingly torn by war and social upheaval. Through intimate portraits of his creative process, we witness the painstaking perfectionism that drove him to revise single passages hundreds of times, the crushing self-doubt that haunted his quietest moments, and the explosive inspiration that birthed works like "Daphnis et Chloé" and "Pavane for a Dead Princess." This biography captures the intoxicating atmosphere of early twentieth-century France, where artists, writers, and musicians gathered in salons and cafés to reshape the cultural landscape. Goss illuminates Ravel's complex relationships with fellow composers, his devotion to his mother, and the mysterious inner world that fueled his extraordinary imagination. For music lovers, history enthusiasts, and anyone fascinated by the creative spirit, this compelling biography offers unprecedented insight into one of music's most sophisticated minds. Goss masterfully balances scholarly depth with narrative excitement, making Ravel's technical innovations accessible while never diminishing their profound impact on modern composition. Readers will discover how a reserved Basque gentleman became a musical revolutionary, and why his influence continues to shape contemporary artists. This is essential reading for understanding not just Ravel's remarkable legacy, but the very nature of artistic genius itself.

Table of contents

• Title page
• TABLE OF CONTENTS
• DEDICATION
• ILLUSTRATIONS
• I—BOLERO
• II—CHILDHOOD ON THE BASQUE COAST
• III—THE PARIS CONSERVATORY IN RAVEL’S TIME
• IV—HE BEGINS TO COMPOSE
• V—GABRIEL FAURÉ AND HIS INFLUENCE ON RAVEL
• VI—FAILURE—AND SUCCESS
• VII—LES APACHES
• VIII—THE MUSIC OF DEBUSSY AND RAVEL
• IX—THE “STORIES FROM NATURE”
• X—THE LURE OF SPAIN
• XI—MA MÈRE L’OYE
• XII—DAPHNIS AND CHLOE
• XIII—THE “GREAT YEAR OF BALLETS”
• XIV—RAVEL FIGHTS FOR FRANCE
• XV—“THE CHILD AND THE SORCERIES”
• XVI—RAVEL’S HOME AT MONTFORT-L’AMAURY
• XVII—CONCERTS IN AMERICA
• XVIII—LAST COMPOSITIONS
• XIX—“SIMPLE, SANS REMORDS”
• XX—FINALE
• ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
• LIST OF RAVEL’S COMPOSITIONS
• RECORDINGS OF RAVEL’S WORKS
• BIBLIOGRAPHY