Fauré

Gabriel Urbain Faure, commonly known simply as Faure, was a French composer, organist and pianist whose career bridged the late Romantic era and the emergence of modern French music. Born in 1845 in Pamiers, he pursued musical studies in Paris at the École Niedermeyer and the Paris Conservatoire, where he later taught and influenced a generation of musicians.

Faure is best known for his refined and intimate musical language, particularly in vocal music. His mélodies, written for voice and piano, are celebrated for their clear melodic lines, supple harmony and expressive restraint. Notable works include the song cycle La Bonne Chanson, settings of Paul Verlaine, and the famous song Après un rêve. He also produced sacred choral music and large-scale works such as the Cantique de Jean Racine and the Requiem in D minor. The Pavane, an elegantly restrained orchestral piece, is another widely performed work that exemplifies his characteristic grace.

As a teacher and organizer, Faure contributed to the development of French music through his work at the Conservatoire de Paris, where he taught harmony and composition and, for a period, directed the institution. His music helped shape a distinctly French approach to melody and harmony, influencing later composers including Maurice Ravel and the broader generation of 20th-century French song. Faure died in Paris in 1924, leaving a legacy of refined art song, intimate sacred music and polished instrumental works.