Sometimes it takes a pressing deadline to set the creative juices flowing. By August 1914 Ravel had been working on a Piano Trio for four months, and had recently taken several weeks o for rest and relaxation. He was, seemingly, in no particular hurry to bring his new piece to completion.
Then World War One happened. France immediately announced a general mobilisation of its forces, and Ravel was keen to be of service to his country. First, though, he thought the Piano Trio should be finished, not least because the idea
