Maurice Ravel was born on March 7, 1875, in Ciboure, a small town in southwestern France near the Spanish border.[5] His father, an engineer of French-Swiss descent from near Geneva, was involved in the development of the gas engine.[1][3][5] His mother was Basque and had close ties to Spanish culture.[1][3][5] Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Paris, where Maurice grew up and received musical training from the age of six.[1][5] His early education included piano and music theory, and at the age of 16, he was admitted to the Paris Conservatoire.[5] There, Ravel began his career as a composer, finding particular inspiration in French Baroque music as well as Spanish and Basque folk songs.[5] His major works include "Pavane pour une infante défunte", "Sonatina" and "Le Tombeau de Couperin"[5]. Maurice Ravel died on December 28, 1937 in Paris[1][4][5].
