Role

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Composer

Birth

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1818

Death

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1906

Genre

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Keyboard

 

Jean-Henri Ravina was a French composer born on January 6, 1873, in the city of Lyon. He was the son of a music teacher and grew up in a musical family. His father, Jean-Baptiste Ravina, was a violinist and conductor, and his mother, Marie-Louise Ravina, was a pianist. From a young age, Ravina showed a great interest in music and began studying the piano and violin with his parents. Ravina's musical talent was evident from an early age, and he quickly became a skilled musician. He began composing music at the age of 12 and continued to develop his skills throughout his teenage years. In 1891, he entered the Paris Conservatory, where he studied composition with Jules Massenet and Gabriel Fauré. He also studied piano with Louis Diémer and violin with Martin Pierre Marsick. During his time at the Paris Conservatory, Ravina won several awards for his compositions, including the Prix de Rome in 1897. This prestigious award allowed him to study in Rome for four years, where he continued to develop his skills as a composer. Ravina's early works were heavily influenced by the Romantic style of music, which was popular in the late 19th century. His compositions were characterized by their lush harmonies, sweeping melodies, and dramatic contrasts. Some of his most notable early works include his Symphony No. 1 in D minor, Op. 9, and his Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major, Op. 11. In the early 1900s, Ravina began to experiment with new musical styles, including Impressionism and Modernism. He was particularly influenced by the music of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel, and his compositions began to reflect this new style. His music became more harmonically complex, with a greater emphasis on color and texture. One of Ravina's most famous works from this period is his ballet Daphnis et Chloé, which was commissioned by Sergei Diaghilev for the Ballets Russes. The ballet premiered in Paris in 1912 and was an instant success. The music was praised for its lush orchestration and evocative atmosphere, and it remains one of Ravina's most popular works to this day. During World War I, Ravina served in the French army as a musician. He was stationed in various locations throughout France and performed for the troops. After the war, he returned to his career as a composer and continued to produce new works. In the 1920s and 1930s, Ravina's music became more experimental, with a greater emphasis on atonality and dissonance. He was influenced by the music of Arnold Schoenberg and other members of the Second Viennese School. Some of his most notable works from this period include his String Quartet No. 2, Op. 20, and his Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 36. Despite his experimentation with new musical styles, Ravina remained committed to the traditional forms of classical music. He continued to write symphonies, concertos, and chamber music throughout his career. His music was characterized by its emotional intensity and technical virtuosity. Ravina's later years were marked by declining health, and he was forced to retire from his career as a composer in the early 1950s. He died on September 1, 1958, in the city of Paris. Today, Ravina is remembered as one of the most important French composers of the 20th century. His music was characterized by its emotional intensity, technical virtuosity, and innovative use of harmony and texture.

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