[Easier Level] Ravel’s Piano Pieces | A curated selection of easier works you can play smoothly!

Noble and Sentimental Waltzes: No. 3 Waltz, Modéré in G majorMaurice Ravel

Ravel, Valses nobles et sentimentales, No.3 Modéré

Maurice Ravel’s suite Valses nobles et sentimentales, modeled after Schubert’s waltzes, was introduced to the world in 1911 as a piano work and staged the following year as ballet music.

Of the eight pieces that make up the suite, the third waltz is a beautiful number in which a faintly wistful expression emerges from within a calm and orderly surface.

In this work, the two spirits of “nobility” and “sentiment” are expressed in exquisite balance.

Its slightly intricate, transparent harmonies carried by a flowing triple meter evoke the subtle play of pale light and shadow in the heart.

Rather than flaunting virtuosity, the key is to carefully draw out the fine nuances embedded in the score.

Aim for an elegant atmosphere by playing with a rounded, gentle tone free of harsh edges.

Suite ‘Miroirs’ No. 2 – Sad BirdsMaurice Ravel

Collard plays Ravel ‘Miroirs’ – 2. Oiseaux Tristes – Très lent

The five-piece suite Miroirs, dedicated to pianist Ricardo Viñes—a fellow artist—includes this work as its second piece, first performed by Viñes in January 1906.

Maurice Ravel based it on the scene of “birds lost in a dark forest on a hot summer day,” drawing listeners into a fantastical world where plaintive birdsong resonates through the silence.

This piece is perfect for those who want to explore a wide palette of timbres with a delicate touch.

It also offers valuable practice in richly evoking imagery by artfully controlling resonance with the pedal, so take your time engaging with Ravel’s painterly music.

Grotesque SerenadeMaurice Ravel

Ravel – Sérénade grotesque, Sheet Music + Audio

Composed around 1893 when Maurice Ravel was about 18, this is a highly distinctive and passionate work.

According to an anecdote, Ravel later added the word “grotesque” to its title; as the name suggests, its rough, provocative sonorities are interwoven with startlingly sweet melodies.

The piece’s appeal lies in its vivid contrast with the emotional central section, making it feel like listening to an awkward yet single-minded declaration of love.

It’s perfect for those who want to experience a bold, youthfully daring side of Ravel that differs from his refined image.

For performers, a key point is to draw a dramatic distinction between the fierce and the sweet elements.

Noble and Sentimental Waltzes, Waltz No. 5, Presque lent in E majorMaurice Ravel

Valses nobles et sentimentales (version for piano) : V. Presque lent, dans un sentiment intime

It is a particularly introspective piece from the suite Valses nobles et sentimentales.

There is an anecdote that at its premiere in May 1911—an anonymous concert of new works—many critics nevertheless recognized the composer as Maurice Ravel.

Marked “avec une émotion intime” (“with intimate feeling”), the music is suffused with a very private atmosphere, like a whispered inner dialogue.

Its melody, ebbing and flowing like waves, feels like a sigh, like a secret longing, quietly drawing close to the listener’s heart.

It is perfect for those who wish to deepen their delicate touch and expressive nuance.

Cherish its sentimental, beautiful world, and play with rounded, gentle tones, carefully and tenderly.

Le Tombeau de Couperin, No. 2: FugueMaurice Ravel

Collard plays Ravel ‘Le Tombeau de Couperin’ – 2. Fugue

Maurice Ravel’s suite Le Tombeau de Couperin was imbued with a sense of remembrance for friends who perished in World War I.

This work, which is the second movement of the suite, was premiered in April 1919 and dedicated to Lieutenant Jean Cruppi.

It is the only fugue Ravel ever composed, with three voices quietly overlapping as if in dialogue.

It seems to speak not only of sorrow, but also of gentle memories of friends now gone.

Within its classical formal beauty, Ravel’s characteristic shimmering sonorities melt together, enveloping the piece in a mysterious sense of weightlessness.

The entire suite was also staged as a ballet.

The key is to let each voice sing its melody with care while maintaining an overall transparency.

It’s a captivating piece through which one can learn both Baroque style and the delicate expression of Impressionism at the same time.

Noble and Sentimental Waltzes, No. 4, Assez animé (fairly lively)Maurice Ravel

Ravel, Valses nobles et sentimentales, No.4 Assez Animé

Maurice Ravel’s suite Valses nobles et sentimentales, written in homage to Schubert, contains many captivating pieces that blend traditional waltz idioms with a modern sensibility, and this particular number stands out for its verve and wit.

At the premiere in May 1911, the composer’s name was withheld, and there’s a charming anecdote that the audience tried to guess the author.

The orchestral version was staged as the ballet Adélaïde, ou le langage des fleurs, depicting the romantic intrigues of 1820s Paris.

If you imagine the give-and-take of love conveyed through the language of flowers, you’ll sense that “this sonority is more than merely elegant.” The key is to play the dense chords with lightness through the right hand’s virtuosic motion.

It’s a work that anyone seeking expression beyond classical boundaries should experience.

BoleroMaurice Ravel

Ravel: Bolero - Pianist Yuki Kondo / Ravel: Bolero (Piano), Yuki Kondo

Maurice Ravel, one of the great French composers representing the 1900s, continues to influence many artists today with his modern approach to music.

Among Ravel’s works, Boléro is particularly accessible and easy to play.

Because it’s frequently used in commercials and TV programs, most people have probably heard it at least once.

Once you get used to the left-hand accompaniment, it becomes easy to perform, so it’s a recommended Ravel piece to pick up and play.

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