Debussy is much older than Ravel --born in 1862, Ravel is born in 1875. Both of them where associated to the same group of young french artists --G. Faure was teacher of composition at the Conservatoire de Paris where both of them studied. From what I remember, Debussy and Ravel where friends for a time. I remember a radio feature on Ravel (for the 60 anniversary of his death) Manuel Rosenthal, a Ravel student who became a well known maestro said that Ravel was taking the Debussy's Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune as the most perfect piece of music ever written.... I hope it's help.... Denis Lessard [log in to unmask] Quebec, Canada