Unlike many composers, Ravel’s father encouraged him to pursue a career in music.  His father was an engineer and inventor and recognized musical talent in his son at a young age.  His mother was of Spanish heritage and a free spirit, something Maurice inherited.  Ravel entered the Paris Conservatoire at the age of fourteen as a pianist and composer.  Aside from recognition for his playing abilities, he really did not excel at the conservative-leaning school.  He competed numerous times for the Prix de Rome, a prize offered for an exceptional composition.  In the case of his last attempt, he was eliminated in the first round.  It was of little consequence since Ravel had already had several successful performances of his works.

In 1905 the Érard Company commissioned Ravel to compose a piece for harp to help them sell their new pedaled harp.  The “Introduction and Allegro” was the result.  The one movement work begins with a short introduction that announces the themes to be developed in the allegro section.  The work is a quasi-harp concerto with a cadenza showing off the new harp and its features.

Prior to the pedal invention the harp was a more difficult instrument to play in multiple keys.  The pedals on a harp have three positions which alter the pitch of the strings.  Harps are not like a piano where all chromatic notes of a scale are available at any time.  Each pedal will alter the pitches of all the same notes on the harp, such as raise all the G’s a half step.  At any one time, there are only seven notes in an octave for a harp to play.  Some strings can be tuned individually in preparation for accidental notes, but the pedals help avoid tuning and will change pitches at the press of a foot.  The pedals place a stop on the string, resulting in a shortened length and therefore a higher pitch.