Gabriel Fauré was born in Pamiers, Ariège,
Midi-Pyrénées, in the south of France, the fifth son
and youngest of six children of Toussaint-Honoré
Fauré (1810–85) and Marie-Antoinette-Hélène
Lalène-Laprade (1809–87).
Fauré is regarded as one of the masters of the French
art song, or mélodie. His devotion to the mélodie
spans his career, from the ever-fresh "Le papillon et
la fleur" of 1861 to the masterly cycle L'horizon
chimérique, composed sixty years and more than a
h...(+)
Gabriel Fauré was born in Pamiers, Ariège,
Midi-Pyrénées, in the south of France, the fifth son
and youngest of six children of Toussaint-Honoré
Fauré (1810–85) and Marie-Antoinette-Hélène
Lalène-Laprade (1809–87).
Fauré is regarded as one of the masters of the French
art song, or mélodie. His devotion to the mélodie
spans his career, from the ever-fresh "Le papillon et
la fleur" of 1861 to the masterly cycle L'horizon
chimérique, composed sixty years and more than a
hundred songs later. Fauré's songs are now core
repertoire for students and professionals, sung in
conservatories and recital halls throughout the
world.
Fauré’s haunting Madrigal (Opus 35) is at first a
dialogue between the young men and women of the world,
and later an admonishment to both by the older, wiser
heads around them. The opening melodic idea is an exact
quote of the Armand Silvestre's poem Aus tiefer Noth
(Out of deep need), perhaps used as a joke by Fauré
for his friend, André Messager, who received the piece
as a wedding gift in 1883.
Although this piece was originally written for Chorus
and Piano or Orchestra, I arranged it for Piano and
Woodwind Quartet (Flute, Oboe, Clarinet & Bassoon).
SHEET MUSIC