pour voix élevée-The melodies of Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) span the entire chronology of his creative output from his earliest song BALLADE DE LA REINE MORTE DAIMER (1893) written during his student years at the Paris Conservatory to the cycle DON QUICHOTTE ÀDULCINÉE (1932-33) his last compositions in any genre. In his songs Ravel?s text settings display a meticulous attention to detail. Ravel´s melodies are elegant and refined classical in their phrase structure.In his treatment of rhythm Ravel finds subtlety within traditional meters and dance forms-minuet waltz folk dances (especially Spanish dances)-also shape the rhythm in many of his songs.