Travels

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	Belgium, Holland, and Germany	A canal trip on the Edwards’ yacht Aimée.
1906
August	Switzerland	Ravel accompanied his ailing father to Hermance.
1909
25 April	Great Britain	Ravel arrived in London for his first concert abroad.
1911
19 – 21 January	Great Britain	A concert tour to London, Newcastle, and Edinburgh.
September – October	Spain	Ravel’s first holiday in Spain.
1913
late March – mid April	Switzerland	At Clarens with Stravinsky, working on an orchestration of Khovanshchina.
August – September	Spain	Travels in Spain.
13 – 17 December	Great Britain	Visit to Arnold Bennett at Thorpe-le-Soken, and a concert in London.
1914
April	Switzerland	Concert in Geneva.
1919
summer	Switzerland	Visit to Geneva following the sudden death of Ravel’s aunt.
1920
October	Austria	Ravel’s first visit to Vienna, for several performances of his works.
1921
February	Belgium	In Brussels, Ravel attended a performance of L’Heure espagnole.
1922
29-30 June	Great Britain	In London to make piano roll recordings.
7 July	Great Britain	A concert of Ravel’s works at Lord Rothermere’s house.
September	Holland	Concert in Amsterdam.
November	Italy	Concert in Milan, and a visit to Venice.
1923
early April	Italy	Concert in Rome.
14 April	Great Britain	Concert in London.
26-27 April	Belgium	Concerts in Brussels and Antwerp.
late May	Switzerland	Rest and recuperation.
mid October	Holland	Concerts in Amsterdam, The Hague and Haarlem.
18 October	Great Britain	Concert in London.
mid November	Holland	Concert in Rotterdam.
1924
26 April	Great Britain	Concert in London.
May	Spain	Concerts in Madrid and Barcelona.
22 May	Belgium	Recital in Brussels.
1925
21 March	Monaco	First performance of L’Enfant et les sortilèges.
May	Great Britain	Visit to the Hardings to meet Mrs Coolidge.
1926
24 January – 12 February	Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden	A concert tour accompanied by Louise Alvar.
23-25 February	Great Britain	Concert tour to London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Bridge of Allan.
4 March	Belgium	Visit to La Monnaie for performance of L’Enfant et les sortilèges.
late March	Italy	In Milan for rehearsals of L’Enfant et les sortilèges.
mid May	Belgium	(?) In Brussels for second performance of Chansons madécasses.
2 October	Belgium	(?) Attended first stage production of La Valse in Antwerp.
late November	Switzerland	Concert tour to Berne, Basel and Geneva.
1927
late February	Great Britain	Performance of the Piano Trio in Edinburgh.
1 October	Holland	Concert in Amsterdam.
late October	Great Britain	In London to make recordings.
1928
January – April	USA and Canada	Concert tour of North America.
19-23 October	Great Britain	Concerts in London and Oxford.
November	Spain and Portugal	Concert tour.
December	Switzerland	In Geneva as member of jury of Société internationale de musique contemporaine.
1929
January	Great Britain	Concert; luncheon in Ravel’s honour in London.
February & March	Austria	In Vienna for concert and performance of L’Enfant et les sortilèges.
1931
March	Belgium	In Brussels for concert for disabled war veterans.
7-8 July	Great Britain	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	Spain	Basque celebration of Ravel’s music in San Sebastián.
December	Switzerland	In Basel for a concert.
1934
February to April	Switzerland	In clinic at Mont Pèlerin.
1935
February – March	Spain, and Morocco	Travelling with Leyritz.
August	Spain	A second trip with Leyritz.