Gabriel (Urbain) Fauré
(Born; Pamiers, 12 May 1845; Died; Paris, 4 Nov 1924). French
composer and teacher. He trained at the Ecole Niedermeyer (1854-65) as organist and
choirmaster, coming under the influence of Saint-Saëns and his circle while working as a
church musician (at Rennes, 1866-70; St Sulpice, 1871-3; the Madeleine, from 1874) and
giving lessons. Though he met Liszt and was fascinated by Wagner, he sought a distinctive
style in his piano pieces and numerous songs, which had to be composed during summer
holidays. Recognition came slowly owing to the modernity of his music. In 1892 he became
national inspector of the provincial conservatories, and in 1896 chief organist at the
Madeleine and composition teacher at the Conservatoire, where his pupils included Ravel,
Koechlin, Roger-Ducasse, Enescu and Nadia Boulanger; from 1905 to 1920 he was the
Conservatoire's resolute and influential director, becoming celebrated for the vocal and
chamber master-pieces he produced until his death.
Fauré's stylistic development can he traced from the
sprightly or melancholy song settings of his youth to the bold, forceful late instrumental
works, traits including a delicate combination of expanded tonality and modality, rapid
modulations to remote keys and continuously unfolding melody. Widely regarded as the
greatest master of French song, he produced six important cycles (notably the novel La
bonne chanson op.61) and three collections each of 20 pieces (1879, 1897, 1908). In
chamber music he enriched all the genres he attempted, while his works for piano (chiefly
nocturnes, barcarolles and impromptus) embody the full scope of his stylistic evolution.
Among his few large-scale works, the popular and delicately written Requiem op.48 and the
'song opera' Pénélope (1913) are noteworthy.
Dramatic music Prométhée, lyric tragedy
(1900); Pénélope, lyric drama (1913); Masques et Bergamasques, lyrical comedy (1919);
incidental music to 6 plays, incl. Pelléas et Mélisande (1898)
Vocal music Messe basse (1881); Requiem
(1877); Circa; 15 other sacred pieces, incl. Cantique de Jean Racine (1865); secular
choruses, duets; 6 song cycles, including La bonne chanson (1894); over 50 songs
Orchestral and chamber music pieces for
solo inst(s) and orch; orch suites from stageworks; 2 pf qnts (op.89, d, 1895; op.115, c,
1921); str qt, e (1924); (Pf) Trio, d (1923); 2 pf qts (op.15, c, 1879; op.45, g, 1886); 2
vn sonatas; 2 vc sonatas; pieces for solo inst and pf; harp pieces
Piano music 13 nocturnes; 13 barcarolles;
9 preludes; 5 impromptus; 4 valse-caprices; Dolly, pf duet (1897)
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