FAURE, Gabriel  (1845-1924)

HISTORY                         Composers

Makers

Violin History & Timeline

PERFORMERS

Violin

Viola

Cello

Bass 

Gamba, etc. 

The Roots of Famous Violinists

TEACHERS

Violin

Viola

Cello

Bass   

DEALERS                        

Fauré, Gabriel (-Urbain), great French composer and pedagogue; b. Pamiers, Ariege, May 12, 1845; d. Paris, Nov. 4, 1924. His father was a provincial inspector of primary schools; noticing the musical instinct of his son, he took him to Paris to study with Louis Niedermeyer; after Niedermeyers death in 1861, Fauré studied with Saint-Saens, from whom he received thorough training in composition. In 1866 he went to Rennes as organist at the church of St.-Sauveur; returned to Paris on the eve of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, and volunteered in the light infantry. He was organist at Notre Dame de Clignancourt (1870), St.-Honoré dElyau (1871), and St.-Sulpice (1871—74). He then was named deputy organist (to Saint-Sadns, 1874), choirmaster (1877), and chief organist (1896) at the Madeleine. In 1896 he was appointed prof. of composition at the Paris Cons. He was an illustrious teacher; among his students were Ravel, Enesco, Koechlin, Roger-Ducasse, Florent Schmitt, and Nadia Boulanger. In 1905 he succeeded Theodore Dubois as director and served until 1920. Then, quite unexpectedly, he developed ear trouble, resulting in gradual loss of hearing. Distressed, he made an effort to conceal it but was eventually forced to abandon his teaching position. From 1903 to 1921 he wrote occasional music reviews in Le Figaro (a selection was publ. as Opinions musicales, Paris, 1930). He was elected a member of the Academie des Beaux Arts in 1909, and in 1910 was made a Commander of the Legion d’honneur. Fauré’s stature as a composer is undiminished by the passage of time. He developed a musical idiom all his own; by subtle application of old modes he evoked the aura of eternally fresh art; by using unresolved mild discords and special coloristic effects, he anticipated procedures of Impressionism; in his piano works he shunned virtuosity in favor of the Classical lucidity of the French masters of the clavecin; the precisely articulated melodic line of his songs is in the finest tradition of French vocal music. His great Requiem and his Elégie for Cello and Piano have entered the general repertoire.

Works: STAGE: Barnabé, opéra-comique (1879; unfinished; not perf.); Caligula, op. 52, incidental music to a play by A. Dumas pére (Paris, Nov. 8,1888); ShyLock, incidental music to a play by E. de Haraucourt, after Shakespeare, op. 57 (Paris, Dec. 17, 1889); La Passion, incidental music to a play by Haraucourt (Paris, April 21, 1890); Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, incidental music to a play by Moliere (1893); Pellëas et Mëlisande, incidental music to a play by Maeterlinck, op. 80 (London, June 21, 1898); Promdthée, tragédie lyrique, op. 82 (Béziers, Aug. 27, 1900); Le Voile du bonheur, incidental music to a play by Clémenceau, op. 88 (Paris, Nov. 4,1901); Pënélope, drame lyrique (Monte Carlo, March 4,1913); Masques et bergamasques, comédie musicale, op. 112 (Monte Carlo, April 10, 1919). 0RcH.: Suite d’orchestre, op. 20(1865-74; 1st movement publ. in 1895 as Allegro symphonique, op. 68, in an arrangement for Piano, 4-hands, by L. Boëllmann); Violin Concerto, op. 14 (1878-79; 2nd movement destroyed); Berceuse for Violin and Orch., op. 16 (1880; original version for Violin and Piano, 1879); Ballade for Piano and Orch., op. 19 (Paris, April 23, 1881; original version for Solo Piano, 1877-79); Romance for Violin and Orch., op. 28 (1882; original version for Violin and Piano, 1877); Sym. in D minor, op. 40 (1884; Paris, March 15, 1885); Pavane, with Chorus ad libitum, op. 50 (1887; Paris, March 28, 1888); Shylock, suite from the incidental music, op. 57 (1890); Menuet in F major (1893); Elégie for Cello and Orch., op. 24 (1896?; original version for Cello and Piano, 1880); Pelléas et Mélisande, suite from the incidental music, op. 80 (1898); Jules César, suite after Caligula, op. 52 (1905); Dolly, suite, op. 56 (an orchestration by H. Rabaud 11906] of the pieces for Piano, 4-hands, 1894-97); Fantaisie for Piano and Orch., op. 111(1918-19; Paris, March 14, 1919); Masques et bergamasques, suite from the comedic musicale, op. 112 (1919); Chant funeraire (1921). cHos~.L.:

SACRED: Super flumina for Chorus and Orch. (1863); Cantique deJean Racine for Chorus and Organ, op. 11(1865; rev. version for Chorus, Harmonium, and String Quintet, 1866); Cantique a St. Vincent de Paul (1868; not extant); Tn es Petrus for Baritone, Chorus, and Organ (1872?); Messe basse for Soloists, Female Chorus, Harmonium, and Violin (1881); Messe de Requtem (1886-87; orig. in 5 movements for Soprano, Chorus, Organ, String Ensemble, and Timpani; Madeleine, Paris, Jan. 16, 1888; expanded to 7 movements, adding a Baritone Solo, Horns, and Trumpets, c.1889; full arch. version, c.l900); Tan- turn ergo in E major for Chorus, 3 Children’s Voices, Solo Voices, and Organ, op. 65, no. 2 (1894); Sancta mater for Tenor, Chorus, and Organ (1894); Tantum ergo in F major for Soprano, Chorus, and Organ (1904). SECULAR: Les Djinns for Chorus and Orch., op. 12 (1875?); La Naissance de Venus for Soloists, Chorus, and Orch., op. 29 (1882; Paris, April 3, 1886); etc. CHAMBER (all 1st perf. in Paris, op. 89 excepted):

Violin Sonata No. 1, op. 13 (1875-76; Jan. 27, 1877); Piano Quartet No. 1, op. 15 (1876-79; Feb. 14, 1880; rev. 1883); Romance for Violin and Piano, op. 28 (1877; Feb. 3, 1883; 2nd version for Violin and Orch., 1882); Berceuse for Violin and Piano, op. 16 (1879; Feb. 14, 1880; 2nd version for Violin and Orch., 1880); Elegie for Cello and Piano, op. 24 (1880; Dec. 15,1883; 2nd version for Cello and Orch., 1896?); Papillon for Cello and Piano, op. 77 (1884?); Piano Quartet No. 2, op. 45 (1885-86; Jan. 22, 1887); Petite pièce for Cello, op. 49 (1887?); Romance for Cello and Piano, op. 69 (1894); Andante for Violin and Piano, op. 75 (1897; Jan. 22, 1898); Sicilienne for Cello or Violin, and Piano, op. 78 (1898); Fantaisie for Flute and Piano, op. 79 (July 28, 1898; orchestrated by L. Aubert, 1957); Piano Quintet No. 1, op. 89 (1887-95; 1903- 5; Brussels, March 23, 1906); Serenade for Cello and Piano, op. 98 (1908); Violin Sonata No. 2, op. 108 (1916-17; Nov. 10, 1917); Cello Sonata No. 1, op. 109 (1917; Jan. 19, 1918); Piano Quintet No. 2, op. 115 (1919-21; May 21, 1921); Cello Sonata No. 2, op. 117 (1921; May 13, 1922); Piano Trio, op. 120 (1922-23; May 12, 1923); String Quartet, op. 121 (1923-

24; June 12, 1925). SONGS: Le Papillon et La fleur, op 1 no I (V. Hugo; 1861); Mai, op. 1, no.2 (Hugo; 1862); Rêve d amour op. 5, no. 2 (Hugo; 1862); L’Aube nait (Hugo; 1862) Puzsque j’ai mis lèvre (Hugo; 1862); Tristesse d’Olympio (Hugo 1865) Dans les mines d’une abba ye, op. 2, no. I (Hugo; 1866) Les Matelots, op. 2, no. 2 (T. Gautier; 1870); Lydia, op 4 no 2 (Leconte de Lisle; 1870); Hymne, op. 7, no. 2 (C. Baudelaire 1870); Seu/e!, op. 3, no. I (Gautier; 1871); L’Absent op 5 no. 3 (Hugo; 1871); L’Aurore (Hugo; 1871); La Rancon op 8, no. 2 (Baudelaire; 1871); Chant d’automne, op 5 no 1 (Baudelaire; 1871); La Chanson de pêcheur, op. 4, no 1 (Gau tier; 1872); Aubade, op. 6, no. 1 (L. Pomey; 1873) Trtstesse op. 6, no.2 (Gautier; 1873); Barcarolle, op. 7, no.3 (M Monnier 1873); Ici-bas!, op. 8, no. 3 (S. Prudhomme; 1874) Au bard de l’eau, op. 8, no. 1 (Prudhomme; 1875); Serenade toscane op. 3, no. 2 (1878); Après un rêve, op. 7, no. 1 (1878) Sylvze op. 6, no. 3 (P. de Choudens; 1878); Nell, op. 18, no. 1 (Leconte de Lisle; 1878); Le Voyageur, op. 18, no. 2 (A. Silvestre 1878) Autornne, op. 18, no. 3 (Silvestre; 1878); Poème dun jour

op. 21 (C. Grandmougin; 1878); Les Berceaux, op 23 no 1 - (Prudhomme; 1879); Notre amour, op. 23, no. 2 (Silvestre

1879); Le Secret, op. 23, no. 3 (Silvestre; 1880-81) Chanson d’amour, op. 27, no. 1 (Silvestre; 1882); La Fee aux chansons op. 27, no. 2 (Silvestre; 1882); Aurore, op. 39, no. I (Stlvestre 1884); F/eur jetée, op. 39, no. 2 (Silvestre; 1884) Le Pays des rêjves, op. 39, no. 3 (Silvestre; 1884); Les Roses d Ispahan op. 39, no. 4 (Leconte de Lisle; 1884); Noel, op. 43 no 1 (V Wilder; 1886); Nocturne, op. 43, no. 2 (Villiers de lIsle Adam 1886); Les Presents, op. 46, no. I (Villiers de l’Isle Adam

1887); C/air de lune, op. 46, no. 2 (P. Verlaine, 1887) Larmes - op. 51, no. 1 (J. Richepin; 1888); Au cimetière, op 51 no 2

(Richepin; 1888); Spleen, op. 51, no. 3 (Verlaine; 1888) La Rose, op. 51, no. 4 (Leconte de Lisle; 1890); Chanson and Madrigal, op. 57 (Haraucourt; 1889); En prière (S Bordese 1889); Cinq melodies “de Venise,” op. 58 (Verlaine): Mandohne En sourdine; Green; A Clymène; C’est /‘extase (1891) Serenade du Bourgeois genti/homme, op. posth. (Moliere; 1893) La Bonne Chanson, op. 61 (Verlaine): Une Sainte en son aureole Puzsque /‘aube grandit; La Lune blanche luit dans les bois; J alIens par des chemins perfldes; J’ai presque peur, en vérité; Avant que tu ne t’e-n ailles; Donc, cc sera par un c/air jour d’éte N est ce pus?; L’Hiver a cessé (1892-94); Prison, op. 83, no. 1 (Verlasne 1894); Soir, op. 83, no.2 (A. Samain; 1894); La Parfum znpenss able, op. 76, no. I (Leconte de Lisle; 1897); Arpège op 76 no. 2 (Samain; 1897); Me/isande’s Song, op. posth (Maeter linck; tr. by Mackail; 1898); Dans Ia forêt de septembre op 85, no. 1 (C. Mendès; 1902); La Fleur qui va sur lean op

85, no. 2 (Mendès; 1902); Accompagnement, op. 85 no 3 (Samain; 1902); Le Plus Doux Chernin, op. 87, no. 1 (Silvestre 1904); Le Rainier, op. 87, no. 2 (Silvestre; 1904); Le Don si/en cieux, op. 92 (J. Dominique; 1906); Chanson, op. 94 (H de Regnier; 1906); Voca/ise-étude (1907); La Chanson d Eve op 95 (C. Van Lerberghe; 1906-10); La Jardin c/os, op 106 (Van Lerberghe; 1914); Mirage, op. 113 (Baronne A. de Bnmont 1919); C’est Ia paix, op. 114 (G. Debladis; 1919); LHonzon chimerique, op. 118 (J. de la Ville de Mirmont; 1921) i’n~o (all for Solo Piano unless otherwise given): 3 romances sans paroles, op. 17 (1863); Intermède symphonique for Piano 4 hands (1869; included as the Ouverture in Masques et berga masques, op. 112); Gavotte (1869; also in the Sym op 20 - and Masques et berqamasques, op. 112); Prelude et fugue (1869

fugue the same as op. 84, no. 6); Nocturne No. I, op 33 no 1(1875); Ba/lade, op. 19 (1877-79; 2nd version for Piano and Orch., 1881); Mazurka, op. 32 (1878); Nocturne No 2 op 33, no. 2 (1880); Barcarol/e No. 1, op. 26 (1880); Impromptu No. I, op. 25 (1881); Valse-ca price No. 1, op. 30 (1882) Noc turne No. 3, op. 33, no. 3 (1882); Impromptu No 2 op 31 (1883); Impromptu No. 3, op. 34 (1883); Nocturne No 4 op 36 (1884); Nocturne No. 5, op. 37 (1884); Va/se-caprice No

2, op. 38 (1884); Barcaro/le No. 2, op. 41(1885); Barcaro/le No. 3, op. 42 (1885); Barcaro/le No. 4, op. 44 (1886) Va/se caprice No. 3, op. 59(1887-93); Souvenirs de Bayreuth Fantaz sic en fomsne de quadrille snr les themes favoris de I Anneau de Nibelung for Piano, 4-hands, op. posth. (with Messager; 1888); Valse-caprice No. 4, op. 62 (1893-94); Dolly, pieces for Piano, 4-hands, op. 56 (1894-97; orchestrated by H. Rabaud, 1906); Nocturne No. 6, op. 63 (1894); Barcarolle No. 5, op. 66 (1894); Allegro symphonique for Piano, 4-hands, op.

68 (an arrangement by L. Boëllmann [1895] of the 1st movement of the Suite d’orchestre, op. 20 [c.1865]); Theme etvariat~ons, op. 73(1895; orchestrated by Inghelbrecht, 1955); Barcawile No. 6, op. 70 (1896); Nocturne No. 7, op. 74 (1898); 8 p~ces brèves, op. 84 (1869-1902); Barcarolle No. 7, op. 90 (1905); Impromptu No. 4, op. 91 (1905-6); Barcarolle No. 8, op. 96 (1906); Nocturne No. 9, op. 97 (1908); Nocturne No. 10, op. 99 (1908); Barcarolle No. 9, op. 101 (1909); Impromptu No.5, op. 102 (1909); 9 preludes, op. 103 (1909-10); Nocturne No. 11, op. 104, no. 1 (1913); Barcarolle No. 10, op. 104, no. 2(1913); Barcarolle No. 11, op. 105 (1913); Barcarolle No.

12,op. lO6bis (1915); Nocturne No. 12, op. 107(1915); Barcawile No. 13, op. 116 (1921); Nocturne No. 13, op. 119 (1921).