Commissioned by the pianist Paul Wittgenstein, who lost his right arm in World War I, this concerto, completed in 1930, is highly regarded as a late masterpiece by Ravel (1875–1937). At the same time, it can be considered an exceptionally distinctive piano concerto, characterized by the unusual constraint of the piano solo being for the left hand only, and the strong influence of jazz.

Although the work is in a single-movement form played without interruption, it can be broadly divided into three sections. The piano part is an extremely difficult piece, incorporating a great deal of specialized techniques, and is written with magnificent writing rich in brilliant ideas, making it hard to believe it is played with only one hand.