Fauré's First Piano Quartet was composed between 1876 and 1879, a period during which he was appointed choirmaster at La Madeleine, met Liszt, discovered Wagner, and experienced a broken engagement.
Composition History
The Société Nationale de Musique (SNM), founded in 1871 by Saint-Saëns and Romain Bussine, was crucial for the performance of Fauré's chamber music, as he stated he wouldn't have composed such works before its establishment.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Gabriel Fauré's aesthetic is described as preferring 'Nuance' over 'Colour', suggestion over description, and the 'Indécis' over the precise, mirroring Paul Verlaine's poetic principles.
Critical Reception
Fauré's First Piano Quartet was warmly received at its public premiere in 1880, with critics praising its "grande distinction d'idées et une facture franchement moderne" (great distinction of ideas and frankly modern style).
Composer Biography
Fauré set 18 of Paul Verlaine's poems to music, starting with "Clair de lune" in 1887, and considered Verlaine's poetry "exquis à mettre en musique" (exquisite to set to music).
Composer Biography
Nine of Fauré's chamber music scores include the piano, and he often premiered these works himself, showcasing his talent as an instrumentalist.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded in March 2011 at the MC2 auditorium, Maison de la Culture de Grenoble.
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