Maurice Ravel Popular Songs Ranking [2026]

Rapsodie espagnoleMaurice Ravel50rank/position

Maurice Ravel – Rapsodie Espagnole

An orchestral work from 1907.

Ravel, whose mother was from Spain and who was exposed to Spanish folk songs in his childhood, incorporated elements of Spanish music into many of his works.

This piece consists of Prelude to the Night, Malagueña, Habanera, and Feria.

Of these, only Habanera is an orchestral arrangement of a piece originally composed in 1895 for two pianos.

SonatinaMaurice Ravel51rank/position

Ravel / Sonatine, I. Moderato / pf. Takaya Sano

A solo piano work composed between 1903 and 1905.

Consisting of three movements, this piece was written for a composition competition; though modest in scale, it distills captivating melodies and delicate sonorities.

The first movement is marked by a lyrical melody.

The second features graceful, charming lines and includes a section that Ravel himself described as “a bow after the dance.” The third movement brims with lively passages.

While adhering to classical forms, it shines with Ravel’s characteristic finesse, making it a masterpiece.

Sonatina, Movement IIMaurice Ravel52rank/position

Ravel: Sonatine, M. 40: II. Mouvement de menuet

Maurice Ravel is a French composer famous for works such as Boléro and Pavane for a Dead Princess.

Composed in 1903, this piece is a piano work in three movements, with the second movement in particular renowned for its beauty.

The world of sound woven from elegant dance rhythms and Ravel’s distinctive impressionistic harmonies makes you feel as if you are dreaming.

With its meticulous structure and rich expressiveness, this work is recommended not only for classical music fans but also for anyone who wants to bask in an elegant atmosphere.

Ravel himself is said to have enjoyed performing it, and it is full of allure that leaves a deep impression on listeners’ hearts.

Sonatine, M. 40: II. Mouvement de MenuetMaurice Ravel53rank/position

Sonatine, M. 40: II. Mouvement de Menuet

Maurice Ravel, the French composer hailed as a “genius of orchestration.” The second movement of his masterpiece Sonatine is highly recommended as a piece that enhances concentration while you work.

He began composing it in response to a magazine project in 1903, and the complete work received its premiere in March 1906.

While it adopts the form of a classical minuet, Ravel’s distinctive, sophisticated harmonies shine through.

Favoring quiet beauty over flashy development, this work is also ideal as background music for studying or reading.

Lend an ear to the piano’s restrained yet resolute tone.

Daphnis and ChloeMaurice Ravel54rank/position

Maurice Ravel: «Daphnis et Chloé». 2ème Suite, Simon Rattle

Premiered at Paris’s Théâtre du Châtelet in June 1912, this ballet score is a grand work set in the pastoral world of ancient Greece, portraying a young shepherd’s love and a hymn to nature.

With wordless chorus and an expanded orchestra, Ravel weaves sonorities that vividly depict dawn’s light, the murmuring forest, and the fervor of festivity—radiating to this day as a pinnacle of French Impressionism.

Suite No.

2, extracted from the work, has become a concert-hall staple beloved worldwide; notably, Charles Munch’s 1961 recording with the Boston Symphony Orchestra won a Grammy Award.

Interlacing pastoral tranquility with exuberant vitality, this masterpiece is highly recommended for anyone seeking solace in nature’s beauty and a simple tale of love.

TziganeMaurice Ravel55rank/position

Midori plays Ravel’s Tzigane

Alongside Debussy, Maurice Ravel—one of the leading composers of modern France—wrote Tzigane, a piece in the form of a czárdás consisting of a slow section called the Lassú and a fast section called the Friss.

The first four minutes or so are performed by solo violin alone, showcasing advanced techniques such as double stops and harmonics.

An evocative, Oriental-tinged principal theme is varied using a range of violin techniques, and the piece culminates in an even more brilliant atmosphere, building to a rousing finish.

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Don Quixote, who has set his heart on Princess DulcineaMaurice Ravel56rank/position

Alberto Gazale – RAVEL: Don Quichotte à Dulcinée (tre liriche su testi di P. Morand)

Composed in 1932–33.

A vocal work with orchestral accompaniment.

The poems are by Paul Morand.

It originated when a film production company making a movie titled Don Quixote commissioned songs for inclusion in the film.

However, the company had actually commissioned multiple composers, and in the end Ibert’s work was chosen, so Ravel’s pieces were not used in the film.

Nonetheless, they began to be performed as concert works and also in a version with piano accompaniment.