Grovelling apologies for the title; I know it’s terrible, but I just couldn’t resist it! And, for a change – we normally see photos of Fauré as an older man, white haired and magnificently moustachioed – this is the composer in his late teens (and still in school uniform!)
In the spirit of a foray, this is a brief dash into Fauré’s musical life from the early mélodie of Après un rêve to the final song cycle, L’horizon chimérique; plus a sample of chamber music – the First Piano Quartet; and some orchestral music – the fun overture to Masques et Bergamasques; and, finally – from perhaps his most famous work – the Pie Jesu from his setting of the Requiem Mass.
Mélodies
Songs Mélodies are a major part of the composer’s output and are among his most famous works:
Après un rêve
Mandoline
Clair de lune
L’horizon chimérique
0.00 La mer est infinie…
1:41 Je me suis embarqué
4:12 Diane, Séléné
6:14 Vaisseaux, nous vous aurons aimés
Chamber music
Piano Quartet No. 1 in c
00:01 Allegro molto moderato
09:42 Scherzo, Allegro vivo
15:32 Adagio
22:32 Allegro molto
Orchestral music
Masques et bergamasques: Overture
There’s not a great deal of purely orchestral music by Fauré, and what there is consists mostly of short pieces, many of them – such as the overture below – written as incidental music for stage performances.
Choral music
Requiem: Pie Jesu
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