Valses nobles et sentimentales

The Valses nobles et sentimentales ("Noble and Sentimental Waltzes") are a suite of waltzes composed by Maurice Ravel. Its title was chosen in homage to Franz Schubert, who had released two collections of waltzes in 1823 titled Valses nobles and Valses sentimentales. The original piano version was published in 1911; an orchestration by the composer was published the following year.

The set is epigraphed by a quotation from Ravel's friend, the Symbolist poet Henri de Régnier: "…le plaisir délicieux et toujours nouveau d'une occupation inutile" ('the delicious and forever-new pleasure of a useless occupation'), derived from his 1904 book Les recontres de Monsieur de Bréot.

The suite contains an eclectic blend of Impressionist and Modernist music, which is especially evident in the orchestrated version.