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 was the youngest son of a schoolmaster's large family. His musical inclination showed itself early; when he was only nine years old his father was recommended to send him to the Niedermeyer School in Paris, which specialised in the training of church musicians. Here the somewhat dreamy, unambitious and homesick little Gabriel might have grown up to be solely a church organist and choirmaster "“ jobs he did hold for much of his adult life at the prestigious Madeleine in Paris. But among his teachers was the dynamic young Camille Saint-Saëns, who galvanised him into trying his hand at composition. Convinced of his pupil's gifts, Saint-Saëns took Fauré under his wing; he remained Fauré's closest friend and champion for the rest of their long lives.

It was through the well-connected Saint-Saëns that Fauré "“ by then working as a church organist while composing his early songs and instrumental pieces "“ came to know Pauline Viardot and her family. Viardot had been the greatest mezzo-soprano of her day, acquainted with many of the artistic luminaries of the 19th century, not least Chopin and George Sand. She had married the theatre director Louis Viardot in 1840, but when she performed in St Petersburg the Russian novelist Ivan Turgenev fell in love with her and followed her back to Paris. Turgenev subsequently spent most of his life in her household; her four children addressed him as 'uncle'. Saint-Saëns introduced Fauré to the family in 1872 "“ and the young composer was soon captivated by Viardot's youngest daughter, Marianne.

Of Fauré's shorter works for violin and piano, the Berceuse Op.16 has always been the best loved. Its perfectionism, with no note extraneous to musical purpose, is characteristic of Fauré's finest compositions, and its magical, hushed atmosphere renders it rather more than a 'cradle song'. Written in 1878-9, it was the work that convinced the Paris music publisher Julien Hamelle to take Fauré on (again without royalties). According to Fauré's biographer Jean-Michel Nectoux, Fauré himself attached 'no importance' to the Berceuse; but its beauty has always made it irresistible to violinists and listeners alike.

Although this piece was originally written for Violin and Piano, I created this arrangement for Flute and Strings (2 Violins, Viola & Cello).