Camille Saint-Saëns, a composer ten years Fauré's senior, became Fauré's mentor and lifelong champion, encouraging his first compositions and helping him secure church organist positions.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Fauré believed that art, especially music, should elevate people as far as possible above their daily reality.
Performer Biography
Marc-André Hamelin, the pianist on this album, is known for his technical prowess and exploration of rare works from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries.
Composer Biography
Gabriel Fauré, the composer, was sent to the Niedermeyer School in Paris at age nine to train as a church musician, after his musical talent became evident.
Composition History
Fauré used the titles 'Nocturnes' and 'Barcarolles' reluctantly, preferring the simple title 'Piano piece No so-and-so' if it weren't for publishers' expediency.
Composer Biography
Fauré's compositional achievements were hard-won due to his status as an establishment 'outsider', a difficult work-life balance, and the onset of deafness in middle age.
Performer Biography
Marc-André Hamelin is also a composer, with over thirty compositions to his name, including Études and a Toccata on 'L'homme armé'.
