Ravel drew inspiration for many of his compositions from other countries and other cultures, but it was only later in his life that he became a regular traveller. Until he was 30 he seems not to have travelled outside France, and the few concerts which he gave prior to the First World War were in Great Britain. Through the 1920s the growth of his international fame was matched by a steady increase in the number of trips that he made abroad. His most ambitious venture was the concert tour of North America in 1928 which lasted for nearly four months.
His relationship with individual countries is described in more detail on separate pages:
|
Austria
Belgium Canada Czechoslovakia Denmark Germany Great Britain |
Holland
Hungary Italy Monaco Morocco Norway Poland |
Portugal
Romania Spain Sweden Switzerland USA |
The chronology of his documented travels is as follows:
|
1905 | |||
| 11 June - 26 July | A canal trip on the Edwards' yacht Aimée. | ||
|
1906 | |||
| August | Ravel accompanied his ailing father to Hermance. | ||
|
1909 | |||
| 25 April | Ravel gave his first concert abroad in London. | ||
|
1911 | |||
| 19 - 21 January | A concert tour to London, Newcastle, and Edinburgh. | ||
| September - October | Ravel's first holiday in Spain. | ||
|
1913 | |||
| late March - mid April | At Clarens with Stravinsky, working on an orchestration of Khovanshchina. | ||
| August - September | Travels in Spain. | ||
| 13 - 17 December | Visit to Arnold Bennett at Thorpe-le-Soken, and a concert in London. | ||
|
1914 | |||
| April | Concert in Geneva. | ||
|
1919 | |||
| summer | Visit to Geneva following the sudden death of Ravel's aunt. | ||
|
1920 | |||
| October | Ravel's first visit to Vienna, for several performances of his works. | ||
|
1921 | |||
| February | In Brussels, Ravel attended a performance of L'Heure espagnole. | ||
|
1922 | |||
| 29-30 June | In London to make piano roll recordings. | ||
| 7 July | A concert of Ravel's works at Lord Rothermere's house. | ||
| September | Concert in Amsterdam. | ||
| November | Concert in Milan, and a visit to Venice. | ||
|
1923 | |||
| early April | Concert in Rome. | ||
| 14 April | Concert in London. | ||
| 18 October | Concert in London. | ||
|
1924 | |||
| February | Concert in Brussels. | ||
| 26 April | Concert in London. | ||
| May | Concerts in Madrid and Barcelona. | ||
|
1925 | |||
| 21 March | First performance of L'Enfant et les sortilèges. | ||
| May | Visit to the Hardings to meet Mrs Coolidge. | ||
|
1926 | |||
| 24 January - 12 February | A concert tour accompanied by Louise Alvar. | ||
| 23-25 February | Concert tour to London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Bridge of Allan. | ||
| 4 March | Visit to La Monnaie for performance of L'Enfant et les sortilèges. | ||
| late March | In Milan for rehearsals of L'Enfant et les sortilèges. | ||
| 8 May | (?) In Rome for first performance of Chansons madécasses. | ||
| mid May | (?) In Brussels for second performance of Chansons madécasses. | ||
| late November | Concert tour to Berne, Basel and Geneva. | ||
|
1927 | |||
| 1 October | Concert in Amsterdam. | ||
|
1928 | |||
| January - April | Concert tour of North America. | ||
| 19-23 October | Concerts in London and Oxford. | ||
| November | Concert tour. | ||
| December | In Geneva as member of jury of Société internationale de musique contemporaine. | ||
|
1929 | |||
| 24 January | Luncheon in Ravel's honour in London. | ||
| March | In Vienna for concert and performance of L'Enfant et les sortilèges. | ||
|
1931 | |||
| March | In Brussels for concert for disabled war veterans. | ||
| 7-8 July | Conducted ballets at Covent Garden. | ||
|
1932 | |||
| early 1932 | Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Holland, Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Great Britain | Concert tour performing the Concerto pour piano et orchestre en sol majeur. | |
| 28 August | Basque celebration of Ravel's music in San Sebastián. | ||
|
1934 | |||
| February to April | In clinic at Mont Pèlerin.
| ||
|
1935 | |||
| February - March | Travelling with Leyritz. | ||
| August | A second trip with Leyritz. |
| www.maurice-ravel.net |