Maurice Ravel wrote his Piano Trio, his only work for the genre, in 1914 and sent the score with precise instructions for engraving it to his publisher Durand. He enlisted for military service at the front during World War I as a driver. With his instructions to the publishers, Ravel wanted to ensure that his work was engraved as he intended: the composer feared that he might not survive the war.  

Ravel did not supervise the production process before the Trio was published in 1915 and he was unable to attend the first performance. All editions of Ravel’s Piano Trio known today are based on the first edition by Durand. In comparison, this new critical edition, edited by Juliette Appold , is based on Ravel’s autograph. As a result, the numerous errors made by the engraver of the first edition have been corrected. Also, it reinstates the violin and cello passages partly simplified or placed in the piano part in movement 2 ( Pantoum ) .