Faure Piano Music

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THE MASTER OF CHARMS (Part 4)
- French Composer Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)

By Christopher M. Wright
© 2007 Christopher M. Wright
All Rights Reserved

Part 4 - Fauré's Piano Music

'Elegant piano music from the romantic period' is a good way to sum up Gabriel Fauré's keyboard works. The characteristic turns of phrase and unbridled lyricism are sure to touch any pure, innocent place you have left inside. The complete works are expressively played on four CDs [Amazon link below] by Kathryn Stott - she's definitely got the spirit of the thing.

Aaron Copland divided Gabriel Fauré's piano music into three periods:

1) Early works influenced by Chopin. The 3rd Impromptu is representative. "The graceful flow of the first part, the excellent balance obtained by the reflective middle section, the knowledge displayed of pianistic writing, all go to make up a very finished composition...," Copland wrote.

2) A middle period where Fauré emerged from Chopin's shadow. Copland thought the best works from this period were the 6th Nocturne, the 5th Barcarolle, and the Theme and Variations. He liked the 6th Nocturne for its dignified opening melody, unique syncopated harmonies, the "graceful fluidity" of the third section, and the "stormy climax" followed by a return to the first theme. The Theme and Variations was "one of 'Fauré's most approachable works ... leaves an indelible impression," Copland wrote.

3) A third period characterized by an "ascetic reserve" and a spare, stripped-down texture. The Nine Preludes are representative. The third is "a strange mixture of the romantic and classic;" the eighth has a "dry, acrid brilliance (so rarely found in Fauré)"; the sixth compares favorably to Bach's Preludes; the ninth is "so absolutely simple that we can never hope to understand how it can contain such great emotional power," Copland commented.

Copland found Fauré's subsequent works "light-filled glades of suave melodies" showing Fauré at the farthest reaches of his harmonic exploration.

Fauré's 13th Nocturne has drawn comment. It was written late in Fauré's life - after his father died, after an apparently lifeless marriage, and after the composer began going deaf (yes, like Beethoven). Fauré called his deafness "a terrible cloak of misery." The 13th Nocturne is said to reflect the composer's isolation, anger, and torment - a veritable dark night of the soul.

Other highlights -

arguably, the Nocturnes have the most emotional depth and the Preludes are the most intellectually interesting.

	the 3rd Barcarolle puts major and minor elements in unusually close juxtaposition
	the 5th Impromptu spins out structures based on the whole tone scale
	some of Fauré's most recognizable melodies are here - the Ballade and Dolly, the latter a set of six children's pieces for piano duet later orchestrated for ballet and also nicely transcribed by the Amsterdam Guitar Trio [Amazon link below]. Copland found the Ballade "an enjoyable work throughout." It was later arranged for piano and orchestra and became "one of the most frequently played piano concertos in Paris," Copland wrote.

Gabriel Fauré Series -
Part 1 - Short Popular Works
Part 2 - Chamber Works
Part 3 - Requiem

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