Gabriel Faure

Gabriel Urbain Fauré (May 12, 1845 – November 4, 1924) was a French composer, organist, pianist, and teacher. He was the foremost French composer of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th century composers. His harmonic and melodic language affected how harmony was later taught.

Biography

Portrait in oils of Gabriel Fauré by John Singer Sargent, about 1889 (Paris Museum of Music)Fauré was born in Pamiers, Ariège, Midi-Pyrénées, to Toussaint-Honoré Fauré and Marie-Antoinette-Hélène Lalène-Laprade. Fauré was sent to live with a foster-nurse for four years. At the age of nine he was sent to study at the École Niedermeyer, a school which prepared church organists and choir directors in Paris, and continued there for eleven years. He studied with several prominent French musicians, including Camille Saint-Saëns, who introduced him to the music of several contemporary composers, including Robert Schumann and Franz Liszt.

In 1870 Fauré enlisted in the army and took part in the action to raise the Siege of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War. During the Paris Commune he stayed at Rambouillet and in Switzerland, where he taught at the transported École Niedermeyer. When he returned to Paris in October of 1871, he was appointed assistant organist at Saint-Sulpice as accompanist to the choir, and became a regular at Saint-Saëns' salon. Here he met many prominent Parisian musicians and with those he met there and at the salon of Pauline Garcia-Viardot he formed the Société Nationale de Musique.

In 1874 Fauré stopped working at Saint-Sulpice and began to fill in at the Église de la Madeleine for Saint-Saëns during his many absences. When Saint-Saëns retired in 1877 Fauré became choirmaster. In the same year he became engaged to Marianne Viardot, daughter of Pauline, but the engagement was later broken off by Marianne. Following this disappointment he travelled to Weimar, where he met Liszt, and Cologne in order to see productions of Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen. Fauré admired Wagner, but was one of few composers of his generation not to come under his influence.

In 1883 Fauré married Marie Fremiet, with whom he had two sons. In order to support his family Fauré spent most of his time in organising daily services at the Église de la Madeleine and teaching piano and harmony lessons. He only had time to compose during the summers. He earned almost no money from his compositions because his publisher bought them, copyright and all, for 50 francs each. During this period Gabriel Fauré wrote several large scale works, in addition to many piano pieces and songs, but he destroyed many of them after a few performances, only retaining a few movements in order to re-use motives.

During his youth Fauré was very cheerful, but his broken engagement combined with his perceived lack of musical success led to bouts of depression which he described as "spleen". In the 1890s, however, his fortunes reversed somewhat. He had a successful trip to Venice where he met with friends and wrote several works. In 1892 he became the inspector of the music conservatories in the French provinces, which meant he no longer had to teach amateur students. In 1896 he finally became chief organist at the Église de la Madeleine, and also succeeded Jules Massenet as composition instructor at the Conservatoire de Paris. At this post he taught many important French composers, including Maurice Ravel and Nadia Boulanger.

From 1903-1921 Fauré was a critic for Le Figaro. In 1905 he succeeded Théodore Dubois as director of the Paris Conservatory. He made many changes at the Conservatoire, leading to the resignation of a number of faculty members. This position meant that he was better off in terms of income, and he also became much more widely known as a composer.

Fauré was elected to the Institut de France in 1909, but at the same time he broke with the old stodgy Société Nationale de Musique, and supported the rogue group which formed out of those ejected from the Société which was mainly comprised of his own students. Unfortunately, during this time Fauré's hearing began to weaken. Sound not only became fainter, it was also distorted, so that pitches on the low and high ends of his hearing sounded like other pitches.

His responsibilities at the Conservatoire, combined with his hearing loss, meant that Fauré's output was greatly reduced during this period. During World War I Fauré remained in France. In 1920, at the age of 75, he retired from the Conservatoire. In this year he also received the Grand-Croix of the Légion d’Honneur, an honor rare for a musician. He suffered from poor health, partially brought on by heavy smoking. Despite this, he remained available to young composers, including members of Les Six, who were devoted to him.

Gabriel Fauré died in Paris from pneumonia in 1924. He was given a state funeral at the Église de la Madeleine and is buried in the Cimetière de Passy in Paris.

Music

Overview
Gabriel Fauré is regarded as the master of the French art song, or mélodie. His works ranged from Classical, when in his early years he emulated the style of Haydn and Mendelssohn, to Romantic, and finally to an ascetic 20th century aesthetic. His work was based on a strong understanding of harmonic structures which he received at the École Niedermeyer from his harmony teacher Gustave Lefèvre, who wrote the book Traité d’harmonie (Paris, 1889). In this book he sets forth a harmonic theory which differs significantly from the classical theory of Jean-Philippe Rameau in that seventh and ninth chords are no longer considered dissonant, and the mediant can be altered without changing the mode. In addition, Fauré's understanding of the church modes can be seen in various modal passages in his works, especially in his melodies.

In contrast with his harmonic and melodic style, which pushed the bounds for his time, Fauré's rhythmic motives tended to be subtle and repetitive, with little to break the flow of the line, although he did utilize subtle large scale syncopations, similar to those found in Brahms works.

Fauré's piano works often use arpeggiated figures with the melody interspersed between the two hands, and include finger substitutions natural for organists. These aspects make them daunting for some pianists, but they are nonetheless central works.

Notable works
Fauré was a prolific composer, and among the most noteworthy of his works are his Requiem, the opera Penelope, the orchestral suite Masques et Bergamasques (based on music for a dramatic entertainment, or divertissement comique), and music for Pelléas et Mélisande. He also wrote chamber music; his two piano quartets are particularly well known. Other chamber music includes two piano quintets, two cello sonatas, two violin sonatas, and a number of piano pieces including the Nocturnes. He is also known for his songs, such as Après un rêve, Les roses d'Ispahan, En prière, and several song cycles, including La Bonne Chanson with settings of poems by Verlaine, and L'horizon chimerique.

The Requiem, Op 48, was not composed to the memory of a specific person but, in Fauré’s words, ‘for the pleasure of it.’ It was first performed in 1888. Fauré is thought not to have had strong religious beliefs. It has been described as "a lullaby of death". In setting the requiem he left out the Dies irae, though the reference to the day of judgment appears in Libera me, which he added to the normal requiem mass. Several slightly different versions of the Requiem exist, and these have given rise to a number of different recordings. Personal grief may have influenced the composition as it was started after the death of his father, and before it was completed, his mother passed away as well. The Requiem can thus be seen as an expression of Faure's personal tragedy written after the death of his parents. The Requiem is also acknowledged as a source of inspiration for the similar setting by Maurice Duruflé.

His music is used in "Act I: Emeralds" of George Balanchine's ballet "Jewels", (1967).

List of compositions by Gabriel Fauré

By Instrumentation

Solo Piano
1 ballade, Op. 19
13 barcarolles, Opp. 26, 41, 42, 44, 66, 70, 90, 96, 101, 104, 105/1-2, 116
6 impromptus, Opp. 25, 31, 34, 86, 91, 102
1 mazurka, Op. 32
13 nocturnes, Opp. 33/1-3, 36, 37, 63, 74, 84/8, 97, 99, 104, 107, 119
9 preludes, Op. 103
3 songs without words, Op. 17
4 valses-caprices, Opp. 30, 38, 59, 62
1 set of variations, Op. 73
1 suite for piano 4 hands, Op. 56 Dolly
1 set of 8 miniatures, Op. 84

Solo Harp
Impromptu, Op.86
Une châtelaine en sa tour, Op. 110

Chamber music

Violin and piano
2 violin sonatas, Opp. 13, 108
Berceuse, Op. 16
Romance, Op. 28
Andante, Op. 75

Cello and piano
2 cello sonatas, Opp. 109, 117
Élégie, Op. 24
Romance, op. 69
Papillon, Op. 77
Sicilienne, op. 78
Sérénade, Op. 98

Flute and piano
Fantaisie, Op. 79
Morceau de Concours

String ensemble and piano
1 piano trio, Op. 120
2 piano quartets, Opp. 15, 45
2 piano quintets, Opp. 89, 115

Strings
1 string quartet, Op. 121

Voice and piano
Songs and Song Cycles, Opp. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 18, 21, 23, 27, 35, 39, 43, 46, 51, 58, 61, 72, 76, 83, 85, 87, 92, 94, 95, 106, 113, 114, 118

Choral
Religious

Ave Maria, Op. 67
Ave verum corpus, Op. 65 No. 1
Benedictus, no Op. No. (first edition 1999)
Cantique de Jean Racine, Op. 11
La Naissance de Vénus, Op. 29
O Salutaris: Maria, Mater Gratiae, Op. 47
Ecce fidelis servus, Op. 54
Requiem in D minor, Op. 48
Salve Regina
Tantum ergo, Op. 55
Tantum ergo, Op. 65 No. 2
Tu es Petrus
Secular

Les Djinns, Op. 12
Le Ruisseau, Op. 22

Orchestral
Masques et Bergamasques, Op. 112
Caligula, Op. 52
Pavane, Op. 50
Pelléas et Mélisande, Op. 80
Shylock, Op. 57
Le voile du bonheur
Ballade for piano and orchestra, Op. 19 (arr. of original version for piano solo)
Fantaisie in G for piano and orchestra, Op. 111
Violin Concerto, Op. 14

Operas
Pénélope
Prométhée, Op. 82

By Opus Number
Op. 1 Two Songs
Le papillon et la fleur
Mai
Op. 2 Two Songs
Dans le ruines d'une abbaye
Les matelots
Op. 3 Three Songs
Seule
Sérénade toscane
Op. 4 Two Songs
Chanson du pêcheur (lamento)
Lydia
Op. 5 Three Songs
Chant d'automne
Rêve d'amour
L'absent
Op. 6 Three Songs
Aubade
Tristesse
Sylvie
Op. 7 Three Songs (1870-8)
Après un rêve
Hymne
Barcarolle
Op. 8 Three Songs
Au bord de l'eau
La rançon
Ici-bas
Op. 9
Op. 10 Two Songs
Puisqu'ici-bas
Tarantelle
Op. 11 Cantique de Jean Racine (1865)
Op. 12 Les Djinns (1875?), for mixed chorus and piano or orchestra, after Hugo
Op. 13 Violin Sonata No. 1 in A (1875-6)
Op. 14 Violin Concerto (1878-9), unfinished
Op. 15 Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor (1876-9)
Op. 16 Berceuse for piano and violin (1878-9), also for violin/cello and orchestra
Op. 17 Romances sans paroles (1863)
No. 1 Andante quasi allegretto
No. 2 Allegro molto
No. 3 Andante moderato
Op. 18 Three Songs (1878)
Nell
Le Voyageur
Automne
Op. 19 Ballade (1881), originally for piano solo, orchestral accompaniment later added
Op. 20 Symphonic Suite in F (1865-74)
Op. 21 Poème d'un jour, song cycle
Rencontre
Toujours
Adieu
Op. 22 Le Ruisseau, (1881?) for 2-part female chorus and piano
Op. 23 Three Songs (1879)
Les Berceaux
Notre Amour
Le Secret
Op. 24 Élégie for cello and orchestra (1880)
Op. 25 Impromptu No. 1 in E flat (1881)
Op. 26 Barcarolle No. 1 in A minor (1881)
Op. 27 2 Mélodies (1882)
Chanson d'amour
La fée aux chansons
Op. 28 Romance for violin and piano (1877)
Op. 29 La Naissance de Vénus (1882)
Op. 30 Valse-Caprice No. 1 in A (1882)
Op. 31 Impromptu No. 2 in F minor (1883)
Op. 32 Mazurka in B flat (1875)
Op. 33 Three Nocturnes
No. 1 in E flat minor (1875)
No. 2 in B (1881)
No. 3 in A flat (1883)
Op. 34 Impromptu No. 3 in A flat (1883)
Op. 35 Madrigal
Op. 36 Nocturne No. 4 in E flat (1884)
Op. 37 Nocturne No. 5 in B flat (1884)
Op. 38 Valse-Caprice No. 2 in D flat (1884)
Op. 39 Four Songs (1884)
Aurore
Fleur jetée
Le pays des rêves
Les Roses d'Ispahan
Op. 40 Symphony in D minor (1884)
Op. 41 Barcarolle No. 2 in G (1885)
Op. 42 Barcarolle No. 3 in G flat (1885)
Op. 43 Two Songs (1885-6)
Noël
Nocturne
Op. 44 Barcarolle No. 4 in A flat (1886)
Op. 45 Piano Quartet No. 2 in G minor (1885-6)
Op. 46 Two Songs (1887)
Les Présents
Clair de lune
Op. 47 O Salutaris: Maria, Mater Gratiae (1887)
Op. 48 Requiem in D minor (1877, rev. 1887-90, orch. 1899)
Op. 49 Petite Pièce in G for cello and piano (c. 1888) now lost
Op. 50 Pavane in F-sharp minor (1887)
Op. 51 Four Songs (1888)
Larmes
Au cimetière
Spleen
La Rose
Op. 52 Caligula (1888)
Op. 53
Op. 54 Ecce fidelis servus (1890), motet
Op. 55 Tantum ergo (1890)
Op. 56 Dolly Suite for piano four hands (1893-6), orch. Rabaud 1906
Berceuse (1894)
Mi-a-ou (1896)
Le jardin de Dolly (1896)
Kitty-valse (1896)
Tendresse (1896)
Le pas espagnol (1897)
Op. 57 Shylock Suite (1889)
Op. 58 Chansons de Venise (1891), song cycle after Verlaine
Mandoline
En sourdine
Green
À Clymène
C'est l'extase
Op. 59 Valse-Caprice No. 3 in G flat (1887-93)
Op. 60
Op. 61 La bonne chanson (1892-4), song cycle after Verlaine
Une Sainte en son auréole
Puisque l'aube grandit
La lune blanche luit dans les bois
J'allais par des chemins perfides
J'ai presque peur, en vérité
Avant que tu ne t'en ailles
Donc, ce sera par un clair jour d'été
N'est-ce pas?
L'hiver a cessé
Op. 62 Valse-Caprice No. 4 in A flat (1893-4)
Op. 63 Nocturne No. 6 in D flat (1894)
Op. 64
Op. 65 No. 1 Ave verum corpus (1894)
Op. 65 No. 2 Tantum ergo (1894)
Op. 66 Barcarolle No. 5 in F sharp minor (1894)
Op. 67 Ave Maria (1894-5)
Op. 68 Allegro symphonique (1895), arr. for piano 4 hands from 1st movement of Symphonic Suite, Op. 20
Op. 69 Romance in A for cello and piano (1894)
Op. 70 Barcarolle No. 6 in E flat (1895)
Op. 71
Op. 72 Pleurs d’or
Op. 73 Theme and Variations for piano (1895), orch. Inghelbrecht 1955
Theme
Variation I L'istesso tempo
Variation II Piu mosso
Variation III Un poco piu mosso
Variation IV L'istesso tempo
Variation V Un poco piu mosso
Variation VI Molto adagio
Variation VII Allegro moderato
Variation VIII Andante molto moderato
Variation IX Quasi adagio
Variation X Allegro vivo
Variation XI Andante molto, moderato espressivo
Op. 74 Nocturne No. 7 in C sharp minor (1898)
Op. 75 Andante for violin and piano (1897)
Op. 76 Two Songs (1897)
Le Parfum impérissable
Arpège
Op. 77 Papillon for cello and piano (1884), also for string quintet or violin and piano
Op. 78 Sicilienne for cello and piano, (1898)
Op. 79 Fantaisie for flute and piano, (1898), orch. Aubuert (1957)
Op. 80 Pelléas et Mélisande (1898)
Op. 81
Op. 82 Prométhée (1900)
Op. 83 Two Songs (1894)
Prison
Soir
Op. 84 Huit pièces brèves (1869-1902)
No. 1 Capriccio in E-flat major
No. 2 Fantaisie in A-flat major
No. 3 Fugue in A minor
No. 4 Adagietto in E minor
No. 5 Improvisation in C-sharp minor
No. 6 Fugue in E minor
No. 7 Allegresse in C major
No. 8 Nocturne No. 8 in D-flat major (1898-1902)
Op. 85 Trois Mélodies (1902)
Dans la forêt de septembre
La fleur qui va sur l'eau
Accompagnement
Op. 86 Impromptu No. 6 in D flat (rearr. for piano from original version for harp)
Op. 87 Two Songs (1904)
Le plus doux chemin
Le ramier
Op. 88 Le Voile du bonheur (1901), after Clemenceau
Op. 89 Piano Quintet No. 1 in D minor (1890-4, rev. 1903-5)
Op. 90 Barcarolle No. 7 in D minor (1905)
Op. 91 Impromptu No. 4 in D flat (1905)
Op. 92 Le don silencieux (1906)
Op. 93 Ave Maria for two sopranos and organ (1906)
Op. 94 Chanson (1906)
Op. 95 La Chanson d'Ève (1906-10), song cycle after Lerberghe
Paradis
Prima verba
Roses ardentes
Comme Dieu rayonne
L'aube blanche
Eau vivante
Veilles-tu, ma senteur de soleil?
Dans un parfum de roses blanches
Crépuscule
O mort, poussière d'étoiles
Op. 96 Barcarolle No. 8 in D flat (1906)
Op. 97 Nocturne No. 9 in B minor (1908)
Op. 98 Sérénade for cello and piano (1908)
Op. 99 Nocturne No. 10 in E minor (1908)
Op. 100
Op. 101 Barcarolle No. 9 in A minor (1908-9)
Op. 102 Impromptu No. 5 in F sharp minor (1909)
Op. 103 Nine Préludes (1909-10)
No. 1 in D-flat major
No. 2 in C-sharp minor
No. 3 in G minor
No. 4 in F major
No. 5 in D minor
No. 6 in E-flat minor
No. 7 in A major
No. 8 in C minor
No. 9 in E minor
Op. 104 No. 1 Nocturne No. 11 in F sharp minor (1913)
Op. 104 No. 2 Barcarolle No. 10 in A minor (1913)
Op. 105 No. 1 Barcarolle No. 11 in G minor(1913-5)
Op. 105 No. 2 Barcarolle No. 12 in E flat (1913-5)
Op. 106 Le jardin clos (1914), song cycle after Lerberghe
Exaucement
Quand tu plonges tes yeux dans mes yeux
La messagère
Je me poserai sur ton coeur
Dans la nymphée
Dans la pénombre
Il m'est cher, Amour, le bandeau
Inscription sur le sable
Op. 107 Nocturne No. 12 in E minor (1915)
Op. 108 Violin Sonata No. 2 in E minor (1916-7)
Op. 109 Cello Sonata No. 1 in D minor (1917)
Op. 110 Une châtelaine en sa tour (1918) for harp, arr. Durand for piano
Op. 111 Fantaisie in G for piano and orchestra
Op. 112 Masques et Bergamasques
Op. 113 Mirages (1919), song cycle after Brimont
Cygne sur l'eau
Reflets dans l'eau
Jardin nocturne
Danseuse
Op. 114 C'est la Paix! (1919)
Op. 115 Piano Quintet No. 2 in C minor (1919-21)
Op. 116 Barcarolle No. 13 in C (1921)
Op. 117 Cello Sonata No. 2 in G minor (1921)
Op. 118 L'horizon chimérique (1921), song cycle after Mirmont
La mer est infinie
Je me suis embarqué
Diane, Séléné
Vaisseaux, nous vous aurons aimés
Op. 119 Nocturne No. 13 in B minor (1921)
Op. 120 Piano Trio in D minor (1922-3)
Op. 121 String Quartet in E minor (1923-4)
no Op. No. Benedictus (c. 1880)