Maurice Ravel

French composer, a leader in the French musical impressionist movement and considered one of the modern masters of orchestration, known for the vigor and beauty of his orchestral and ballet studies. One of his most famous works was the music that would always be called "Ravel's Bolero," composed in 1928. His major works included the ballet, "Ma Mere l'Oye" (Mother Goose), written in 1908 for the children of some friends, and first performed in 1910. The score preceded his 1925 fairy-tale opera, "L'Enfant et les Sortileges." Many consider "Daphnis et Chloe" to be one of his greatest achievements, and he also composed two piano concertos.

Ravel studied music at the Paris Conservatoire under French composer Gabriel Faure.

It was suspected that Ravel may have had Alzheimer's. After a minor traffic accident on 10 October 1932 he began to show signs of senility though only 57 years old. The accident was not connected with the following years of aphasia and ataxia, but he never fully recovered. Aside from some music already in the works, he composed no more. In 1933, he tried to conduct a concert in Paris, but it was to be his last. He eventually lost his ability to produce or comprehend musical sounds, remember names, or even to recognize his own music.

On 18 December 1937, he entered a hospital in Paris and died 28 December 1937 after brain surgery.