Through much of his early career Maurice Ravel was drawn to Spanish musical styles.  Like many French composers of the time, Ravel tried his hand at writing the habanera, a Cuban dance form that was the rage in late 19th century Spain. All habaneras, including the famous aria from Bizet's 1874 opera Carmen, are characterized by the two-beat rhythmic pattern that we hear played by the piano in the opening measure of Ravel's Pièce en Forme de Habanera. The Pièce was originally written in 1907 as a Vocalise-étude for low voice and piano, on a commission from a professor at the Paris Conservatory, for use by his voice students.  Ravel later transcribed it for cello and piano.