Gabriel Fauré is among the most senior of Debussy’s contemporaries. Unlike the younger composers of his generation, he wasn’t particularly interested in orchestral colour – of which both Debussy and Ravel were masters – feeling that his music should stand or fall on melody and harmony alone without the surface gloss of the devices of orchestration; consequently, he sometimes left the task of instrumentation of his orchestral music to his pupils.
Apart from the Requiem and some small pieces of incidental music, the composer is most famous for his songs (i.e. mélodies) and piano music. But there are also a number of very distinguished chamber works: here are examples from early and late in Fauré’s career: the piano quartet Op. 15 and the piano trio, Op. 120…
Fauré: Piano quartet in c, Op. 15
Allegro molto moderato 0:00
Scherzo: Allegro vivo 9:35
Adagio 15:01
Allegro molto 22:12
Fauré: Piano Trio in d, Op. 120
Allegro, ma non troppo [00:00]
Andantino [05:46]
Allegro vivo [14:21]
… and then, of course, there’s Debussy’s only string quartet:
Debussy: String Quartet in g (1893)
Animé et très décidé (0:00)
Assez vif et très rythmé (6:04)
Andantino, doucement expressif (9:51)
Très modéré (16:23)
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Pontarddulais!
The Art of Listening 