French court rules Boléro was Ravel’s work alone

Claimants, backed by composer's estate, lose claim of co-authorship, described as historical fiction'

A French court has ruled that Bolero, one of the best-known works of classical music in the world, was written by Maurice Ravel alone, in a verdict on a case with big financial stakes that could have taken the work out of the public domain.

Ravel first performed Bolero at the Paris Opera in 1928 and it was an immediate sensation. He died 10 years later and his heirs were paid millions of dollars until the copyright ran out in 2016.