Joseph Maurice Ravel (French pronunciation: /ʒɔzɛf mɔʁis ʁavɛl/; Ciboure, Labourd, March 7, 1875 – Paris, December 28, 1937) was a 20th-century French composer. His work, often associated with Impressionism, along with that of his contemporary Claude Debussy, also displays a bold Neoclassical style and, at times, traits of Expressionism. It is the fruit of a complex heritage and musical discoveries that revolutionized piano and orchestral music. Recognized as a master of orchestration and a meticulous musical craftsman, cultivating formal perfection while remaining profoundly human and expressive, Ravel excelled at revealing "the subtlest games of the intellect and the most hidden outpourings of the heart" (Le Robert).