nd precipitate his revolt from
Wagnerism. In 1884 he gained the Prix de Rome with his cantata "L'Enfant
prodigue." During his three-year stay at the Villa Medici he composed
"Printemps" and "La Damoiselle elue." "Ariettes oubliees" were published
in 1888, followed, in 1890, by "Cinq poemes de Baudelaire"; in 1893 by
the string-quartet and the "Prelude a 'l'Apres-midi d'un faune'"; in
1894 by "Proses lyriques"; and in 1898 by "Les Chansons de Bilitis." The
"Nocturnes" were performed for the first time in 1899. "Pelleas," upon
which Debussy had been working for ten years, was produced at the Opera
Comique in 1902. In 1903, "Estampes" were published. "Masques," "L'Isle
joyeuse," "Danses pour harp chromatique" and "Trois chansons de France"
were published in 1904. The following year saw the disclosure of the
first book of "Images" for piano and of "La Mer." The second book of
"Images" appeared in 1906; "Iberia" in 1907; "Trois chansons de Charles
d'Orleans" and the "Children's Corner" in 1908. "Rondes de Printemps"
was performed for the first time in 1909. In 1910 there appeared "Trois
ballades de Francois Villon" and the first book of "Preludes for piano."
It was in the incidental music to d'Annunzio's _Le Martyre de
Saint-Sebastien,_ performed in 1911, that Debussy's genius showed itself
for the last time in any fullness. In 1912 "Gigues" were performed; in
1913 there appeared the second book of Preludes for piano. The works
produced subsequently are of much smaller importance.

RAVEL

Maurice Ravel was born in Ciboure, Basses-Pyrenees, March 7th, 1875.
Shortly after his birth, his family moved to Paris. Henri Ghis was his
first piano-teacher, Charles-Rene his first teacher of composition. He
took piano-lessons of Ricardo Vines, and in 1891 was awarded a "premiere
medaille" in piano-playing at the Conservatoire. In 1897 Ravel entered
the class of Faure. In 1898, his "Sites auriculaires" were publicly
performed. In 1901 he failed for the first time to gain the Prix de
Rome. His quartet was performed in 1904. In 1903 he failed for the
fourth time to gain the Prix de Rome. "Histoires naturelles" were
performed in 1907, the "Rapsodie espagnole" in 1908. "L'Heure espagnole"
was given at the Opera Comique in 1911. "Daphnis et Chloe" was performed
by the Russian Ballet in 1912. During the war Ravel served as ambulance
driver. He was wounded while serving before Verdun, and dismissed from
service. He is living at present in Pa