In May 1848, Ravina married L. Bidault and had two children, Léon (1852-1870) and Emma (1853-?). Their daughter Emma would later marry the publisher Leduc in 1874.

In 1870, when the Franco-Prussian War broke out, Ravina suffered the misfortune of losing his beloved wife and son Léon in quick succession. This work is an elegy for his son, who died young.

The piece takes a simple ternary form, A-B-A'. Following a somber introduction marked 'douloureusement' (painfully), a sweet melody is sung. The dramatic and passionate passage in the middle section does not last long and is soon cut short by the dark musical idea of the introduction. The return of the theme in A' is not merely a recapitulation. While A is marked mf with 'tendresse et tristesse' (tenderness and sadness), A' applies the instructions 'un peu plus lent' (a little slower) and 'très doux' (very sweet) to the exact same theme, marked ppp. In this recapitulation, which accepts the son's death and sends his soul to heaven, there is no longer room for earthly 'sadness'. However, at the end of the piece, emotions explode again, the introduction immediately returns, and the piece finally descends to its lowest note, sinking into real sorrow. It is a masterpiece that beautifully depicts earthly despair and heavenly peace.