Beethoven's nine symphonies have been arranged for piano by many composers, including Czerny, Liszt, Hummel, Scharwenka, and Casella, from the 19th to the 20th century. Perhaps the most significant four-hand arrangement prior to Ravina's was Czerny. Czerny's arrangements reflect the trend of technical virtuosity prevalent in the first half of the 19th century, often featuring difficult techniques specific to the piano. In contrast to Czerny's arrangements, which aimed for effects through skillful performance, Ravina's arrangements sought to maximize the sonic capabilities of the piano of his time, which had become capable of producing richer sounds.

Ravina left no orchestral works of his own. Nevertheless, his ability to peruse all of Beethoven symphony scores and create such effective arrangements likely stemmed from his regular exposure to orchestral music. Since the establishment of the Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, an orchestral organization, in 1828, Beethoven's symphonies were frequently performed annually in the Conservatoire hall until the 20th century. Therefore, even in an era without recording technology like CDs, he must have been able to listen to these works intently. Furthermore, Ravina was a master of sight-reading, and in the accompaniment class, which taught the technique of playing scores on the piano, he effortlessly won first prize in his youth. This also suggests his exceptionally high capacity for understanding orchestral works. Indeed, his own piano writing is often symphonic. Detailed commentary on these exceedingly famous Beethoven works is likely unnecessary.