Final answer:
Ravel and Debussy believed that music should serve an emotional purpose, as reflected in their impressionistic style. Their music prioritizes mood and emotion over traditional form and structure.
Step-by-step explanation:
The belief both Ravel and Debussy had regarding the purpose of music was that it should serve an emotional purpose. This view aligns with their impressionistic style which prioritized emotion and mood over traditional form and structure. Their music, which often created a sense of mood, setting or emotion, is not made to be purely decorative or commercial. Experimental approaches were also taken by them, but the form the experimentation took was usually in service to conveying some form of emotion.
Learn more about Purpose of Music