Fauré, Gabriel 1845 - 1924
Author: Shiraishi, Yuriko
Last updated：May 31, 2013
Author: Shiraishi, Yuriko
Biography
Born in Pamiers, Southern France, Fauré spent his early childhood playing the harmonium¹ in the chapel of the École Normale de Montgauzy, where his father served as headmaster. His musical talent was discovered there, and at the age of nine, he enrolled in the École de Musique Classique et Religieuse (Classical and Religious Music School). To understand the context of Fauré's student years, it is necessary to consider this school, founded in 1853 by Louis Niedermeyer.
In France, churches were significantly devastated by the French Revolution (1789), but with the Bourbon Restoration in 1815, church music was revived. Efforts for its promotion centered around the École de Musique Religieuse (School of Religious Music), established in 1817 by the composer and music theorist Alexandre-Étienne Choron (1771-1834), which closed shortly after Choron's death in 1834. However, when Louis-Philippe of the House of Orléans initiated the July Monarchy (1830-1848), funding was cut, leading to its closure. Subsequently, until the Second Republic (1848-1852), religious music continued to be explored by erudite musicians such as Fétis and the Duke of Moskowa out of historical interest, but it had lost its national support base. In 1852, Napoleon III established the Second Empire, and the fact that he welcomed Countess Eugénie, a fervent Catholic, from Spain as empress also influenced the renewed promotion of religious music. Thus, in 1853, the École de Musique Classique et Religieuse was founded as an extension of Choron's School of Religious Music, which had closed in 1830, with composer Louis Niedermeyer as its director. This institution would eventually become commonly known as the Niedermeyer School. Supported by Emperor Napoleon III, this school consequently emphasized polyphonic music based on counterpoint and Gregorian chant, in accordance with the Roman Catholic tradition. In addition to Palestrina-style counterpoint, works by classical masters such as Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven served as models for education.
At the newly established Niedermeyer School, Fauré studied harmony and counterpoint, which formed the theoretical foundation, as well as organ under Clément Loret (1833-1909) and plainchant under Niedermeyer himself. Subsequently, with Niedermeyer's death in 1861, Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) was appointed as professor of piano, providing Fauré with the opportunity to study the music of Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, and Wagner, which had not been included in the curriculum. His association with Saint-Saëns would continue throughout his life, and the depth of their friendship can be discerned from their correspondence.
After graduating from the Niedermeyer School, Fauré served as organist in churches in Rennes and Paris, while also joining as a founding member of the Société Nationale de Musique (National Society of Music) in 1871. These activities as a church organist and conductor, as well as the presentation of his own works at concerts organized by the Société Nationale de Musique, laid the foundation for Fauré's career as a musician.
After being appointed chief organist at the Madeleine Church in Paris in June 1896, Fauré succeeded Massenet as professor of composition at the Paris Conservatoire in October, teaching students such as Ravel and Koechlin. Around this time, his social reputation grew, and he also engaged in writing activities, such as serving as a music critic for Le Figaro. In 1905, Ravel's failure to win the Prix de Rome, which took place in May, led to a concentration of criticism against the Paris Conservatoire. This "Ravel Affair" led to the resignation of the then-director, Théodore Dubois, and Fauré was elected as his successor the following June. This appointment shocked the musical world, but Fauré's position, being neither a Conservatoire alumnus nor a member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts, was likely well-suited for reforming the old system. Le Figaro on June 14, 1905, at the time of his appointment, published the new director Fauré's educational policy, stating his desire to be an "assistant to an art that is both classical and modern" while also encouraging "liberalism." At the Conservatoire, curriculum reforms based on this policy were advanced, including the expansion of repertoire for vocal departments, the addition of courses in the composition department, and changes to the entrance examination system. This series of reforms can be seen as an example of Fauré's artistic vision, which was conservative yet tolerant of new trends. Furthermore, his dedicated approach to the directorship solidified his position not only as a composer but also as an educator.
In 1909, Fauré was elected a member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts and accepted the presidency of the Société Musicale Indépendante (Independent Music Society), organized by Ravel and others with the aim of pursuing music even more modern than that of the Société Nationale de Musique. On the other hand, he was also elected president of the Société Nationale de Musique in 1917. At this time, Fauré himself showed a neutral stance towards both societies and proposed reconciliation between them, but this effort failed. Even after retiring from the directorship in 1920, his popularity remained undiminished. In 1922, a commemorative ceremony honoring his achievements was held at the Sorbonne University, and in the same year, La Revue Musicale published a special issue on Fauré, featuring his memoirs and analyses of his works by his students. Fauré, who was awarded the Grand-Croix (First Class) of the Légion d'honneur in 1923, passed away in November of the following year, 1924. His funeral was held as a state funeral at the Madeleine Church, with his Requiem being performed. Fauré, thus recognized as one of France's leading composers, now rests peacefully with his wife's family, the Frumières, in the Passy Cemetery in Paris.
Works
Fauré's extant works primarily consist of piano pieces, vocal works, and chamber music. While he certainly composed stage works and orchestral pieces, their number is not abundant, and unfinished or unpublished works are also occasionally found.
For Fauré, piano music, like his songs, was an important genre he consistently engaged with throughout his 60-year creative period, from his early years to his late period. Specifically, these include the 13 Nocturnes and 13 Barcarolles, as well as 3 Romances sans paroles Op. 17 (composed around 1863, published 1880) written during his time at the Niedermeyer School, and Ballade Op. 19 (composed 1879, published 1880; orchestral arrangement for piano and orchestra composed 1881), 5 Impromptus, 4 Valses-caprices, Thème et variations Op. 73 (composed 1895, published 1897), and Dolly Op. 56 for four hands (composed 1864-96, only the first piece published 1894, all six pieces published 1897). Many of these follow the genre of piano miniatures by Romantic composers, including Chopin. However, Fauré's individuality within the history of the genre can be seen in his modal harmonic language and contrapuntal melodic language, which are believed to have been influenced by his education at the Niedermeyer School.
Regarding Fauré's compositional style, Jean-Michel Nectoux, a leading Fauré scholar, proposes three periods in his biography Gabriel Fauré: A Musical Life: the first period (1860-86), which attempted to break away from Romantic influence and explore the composer's own style; the second period (1886-1905), which advanced his unique style through the exploration of musical idioms such as chromaticism, counterpoint, and harmony; and the third period (1906-24), characterized by a strong inclination towards contrapuntal writing and the creation of innovative harmonies. Of course, this division is not absolute, as there are musical characteristics common to works from all periods, such as the use of modal harmony, repetitive rhythms, and long-breathed melodies. However, it can serve as an indicator for understanding the evolution of Fauré's long creative period.
From the 1860s to the early 1890s, corresponding to the first period and the first half of the second period, the volume of compositions was relatively high. While Requiem Op. 48 (early version, premiered 1893) was composed, much of his output during this time was dedicated to piano pieces, songs, and chamber music such as piano quartets. Works from this period, heavily influenced by Romanticism, possess a certain brilliance and are frequently performed today. However, after the late 1890s, when he was preoccupied with his duties at the Conservatoire, his pace of composition slowed somewhat. Nevertheless, there were many opportunities for the presentation of large-scale works such as Requiem Op. 48 (final version, premiered 1900), incidental music Pelléas et Mélisande Op. 80 (composed and premiered 1898, orchestral suite premiered 1901), the opera Prométhée Op. 82 (composed and premiered 1900), and Pénélope (without opus number, composed 1907-12, premiered 1913). He also focused intensively on large-scale chamber works, exemplified by his Piano Quintets, Piano Trio Op. 120 (composed 1922-23, published 1923), and String Quartet Op. 121 (composed 1923-24, published 1925). Behind the active presentation of such large works lay his elevated social status, including his directorship at the Conservatoire, and the support of many of his students. While he was not as prolific in piano solo works as in his early period, his style clearly changed from his early works, as seen in the frequent use of whole-tone scales in Impromptu No. 5 Op. 102 (composed 1908-09, published 1909) and the concise contrapuntal writing in Nocturne No. 13 Op. 119 (composed 1921, published 1922).
Furthermore, the Fauré Complete Works, which has been progressively published by Bärenreiter since 2010 (7 series, 28 volumes, with 4 volumes published as of April 2013), is planned to include many unpublished works, especially from his early creative period, such as the Allegro movement of the Violin Concerto Op. 14 (composed 1878-79) and the Orchestral Suite Op. 20 (composed 1866-73). Further volumes are eagerly awaited.
¹A type of reed organ operated by foot pedals, but unlike a pipe organ, the pressure of the pedals directly affects the dynamics of the sound. It was widely popular in the 19th century alongside the piano.
Author : Jitsukata, Kosuke
Last Updated: January 1, 2010
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Author : Jitsukata, Kosuke
Born in Pamiers, southwestern France, to an educator father. His musical talent was discovered in childhood through exposure to organ and sacred music, and from 1854, he studied under Niedermeyer at the École de Musique Classique et Religieuse in Paris.
From 1861, he began studying piano and composition with Saint-Saëns, who had obtained a teaching position at the same school, and became acquainted with a wide range of contemporary music. After graduating in 1865, he served as church organist in various locations across France. From August 1870 for approximately six months, he participated in the Franco-Prussian War as a volunteer. From 1874, he began playing the organ at the Église de la Madeleine in Paris, becoming its maître de chapelle in 1877. In the late 1870s, he traveled to Germany multiple times, meeting Liszt in Weimar. In the 1980s, prompted by his father's death, he composed his renowned Requiem. From 1896, he became a professor of composition and counterpoint at the Paris Conservatoire, nurturing talented musicians such as Ravel, Koechlin, and Enescu.
In his later years, he gradually lost his hearing, but continued to compose after retiring from the Conservatoire in 1920, creating masterpieces such as his Piano Quintets. After his death, his significant achievements were honored with a state funeral by the French nation.
Fauré did not compose many large-scale works such as symphonies or operas, focusing instead on piano pieces, chamber music, and mélodies, with his works exhibiting an introspective and lyrical tendency. Fauré was blessed with a long life for his time, being born before Debussy and living beyond his death.
Works(73)
Concerto
Works with orchestral accompaniment (1)
Piano Solo
pieces (2)
inpromptu (6)
nocturne (11)
caprice (4)
barcarolle (13)
Reduction/Arrangement (5)
Quatuor à cordes Op.121 (piano solo version by Gustave Samazeuilh) Op.121
Playing time: 23 min 10 sec
"Une Châtelaine en sa tour..." Op.110 (piano solo version) Op.110
Composed in: 1918 Playing time: 4 min 50 sec
"Pénélope" Prélude to Act I [piano solo version by the composer]
Composed in: 1913 Playing time: 7 min 30 sec
transcription (3)
Piano Ensemble
Reduction/Arrangement (2)
Fantasie pour Piano et Orchestre (arranged for 2 pianos by the composer) Op.111
Key: G-Dur Composed in: 1918 Playing time: 16 min 00 sec
Chamber Music
Works with orchestral accompaniment (1)
sonata (4)
Various works (5)
Lied
Various works (4)
etc