Valses nobles et sentimentales (NCPE. Nieweg)

The “Valses nobles et sentimentales” were composed in 1911 (revised 1912), initially as a piano work, and were orchestrated by Maurice Ravel for large orchestra the following year. The title is a deliberate homage to Franz Schubert, whose collections of waltzes Ravel held in deep admiration. The work consists of seven waltzes of varying character, followed by a closing Épilogue that dreamlike weaves together themes from the preceding movements.

Ravel dedicated the composition to the writer and critic Louis Aubert. At the premiere of the piano version, the piece was presented anonymously — the audience was invited to guess the composer's identity, which gave rise to lively speculation. The orchestral version was heard for the first time in April 1912 as ballet music for “Adelheid von Hildebrand”, choreographed by Natalia Trouhanowa.

Musically, Ravel combines the elegant idiom of the Viennese waltz with his unmistakable harmonic sophistication. Bold dissonances, refined instrumentation, and subtle rhythmic displacements lend the work a distinctive blend of nostalgia and irony. The “Valses nobles et sentimentales” stand among the most fascinating examples of Ravel's art of transforming traditional forms into an entirely new and personal musical language.