If I Could Choose Only One Work By...FAURÉ
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 เม.ย. 2023
- It Would Have To Be...Piano Quartets Nos. 1 & 2 (Trio Wanderer) Harmonia Mundi
One of the great masters of twentieth-century chamber music, Fauré's subtle, expressive instrumental music is still comparatively neglected.
The List So Far....
1. Ravel: Ma Mère l’Oye (Mother Goose Ballet)
2. Bruckner: Symphony No. 7
3. Schubert: String Quintet in C major
4. Shostakovich: Symphony No. 4
5. Mahler: Symphony No. 2 “Resurrection”
6. Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker
7. Debussy: Preludes for Piano (Books 1 & 2)
8: Handel: Saul
9. Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro
10. Brahms: String Sextet No. 2 in G major
11. Vaughan Williams: Job
12. Bach: Goldberg Variations
13. R. Strauss: Four Last Songs
14. Berlioz: The Damnation of Faust
15. Haydn: “Paris” Symphonies (Nos. 82-87)
16. Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen
17. Beethoven: String Quartet No. 14 in C-sharp minor
18. Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E minor
19. Chopin: Preludes
20. Verdi: Rigoletto
21. Roussel: Symphony No. 2
22. Copland: Appalachian Spring (complete original ballet)
23. Grieg: Peer Gynt Suites Nos. 1 and 2
24. Bartók: Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion
25. Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 2
26. Rimsky-Korsakov: Opera Suites (Scottish National Orchestra/Järvi) Chandos
27. Schoenberg: Pierrot Lunaire
28. Smetana: Ma Vlást
29. Falla: Nights in the Gardens of Spain
30. Bizet: Carmen
31. Elgar: In the South
32. Sullivan: The Mikado
33. Dvořák: Symphony No. 8; Cello Concerto (Piatigorsky/Munch/Boston Symphony) RCA
34. Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsodies
35. Monteverdi: Orfeo
36. Scarlatti: Sonatas
37. Schumann: Fantasie in C, Op. 17
38. Berg: Wozzeck
39. Hermann: Psycho (film score)
40. Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on the Theme of Paganini
41. Purcell: Dido and Aeneas
42. Holst: Suites for Military Band
43. Stravinsky: Oedipus Rex
44. Respighi: Three Botticelli Pictures
45. Sibelius: Symphony No. 5; Pohjola’s Daughter (Bernstein, New York Philharmonic) Sony
46. Britten: The Turn of the Screw
47. Borodin: String Quartet No. 2
48. Janácek: The Cunning Little Vixen
49. Korngold: Violin Concerto
50. Tallis: Spem in Alium
51. Nielsen: Symphony No. 5
52. Barber: Knoxville: Summer of 1915
53. Hindemith: Symphony in E-flat
54. Mussorgsky: Boris Godunov
55. Franck: Violin Sonata
56. Rossini: La gazza ladra (The Thieving Magpie)
57. Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 5 “Egyptian”
58. Weill: The Seven Deadly Sins
59. Pergolesi: Stabat Mater
60. Albeniz: Iberia
61. Bernstein: Mass
62. Schreker: Chamber Symphony
63. Walton: Variations on a Theme by Hindemith
64. Dukas: Piano Sonata
65. Gershwin: Porgy and Bess
66. Tippett: Piano Concerto
67. Poulenc: Songs (ATMA, 5 discs)
68. Szymanowski: Violin Concerto No. 1
69. Gluck: Alceste
70. Vivaldi: L’estro armonico, Op. 3
71. Puccini: La Bohème
72. Hanson: Symphony No. 2 “Romantic”
73. Alkan: 12 Etudes in All the Minor Keys, Op. 39
74. Dutilleux: Métaboles
75. Glinka: Kamarinskaya
76. Crumb: Makrokosmos III (Music for a Summer Evening)
77. Biber: Sonata violino solo representativa
78. Josquin: Missa Ave maris stella
79. Arnold: Symphony No. 5 - เพลง
Fun fact: Ravel introduced Stravinsky to Fauré at the Paris premiere of "Pénélope" (which took place a few weeks before the premiere of "The Rite of Spring"/at the same theater!). Stravinsky remembered him being very kind, and very deaf. A four-hand piano score of "The Rite" was in Fauré's library when he died ("Pierrot," too).
I can't recall having made a Fauré suggestion for this series. Too bad, since Fauré is among my favorite composers of chamber music. Your selection, Dave, is perfect and your remarks about this subtlest of composers for that genre are right on the mark. If I had made a suggestion it probably would also have been an album--namely, Grumiaux's Phillips recording of the two Violin Sonatas. But almost any of Fauré's chamber works wiill do. I, too, underrated Fauré for many years, largely because the only work of his I really knew well was the ubiquitous Requiem. What turned me on to the chamber music was viewing the French film, "Sunday Afternoon in the Country," which came out sometime during the 1980's. In addition to its gorgeous cinematography (and a gentle, subtle story line analogous to Fauré's aesthetic), the soundtrack featured several of that composer's chamber works. I became so enamored of his chamber music, that I wasted no time in obtaining all of it on CD. Today there exist at least two boxed editions of his complete chamber works, which I would commend to anyone who enjoys chamber music.
I had exactly the same experience when watching the gently mesmerising "Un dimanche a la campagne" (the original title of the movie from 1984) where Bernard Tavernier creates a unique symbiosis between the imagery and Faurés music that made me a an instant fan of his chamber music. Do you know which ensemble(s) played on the sound track?
As a long-time Rubinstein fan I was very excited when he started recording chamber music with the Guarneri Quartet, and I eagerly sought out the LPs as they came out. None was more of a discovery for me than the Faure Piano Quartet #1. This was completely new to me, and seemed almost like a new musical idiom, those unusual harmonies and that subtle mix of the lyric and dramatic. All kind of hypnotic. In any case, a great choice and representative of Faure's uniquely expressive sound world in general.
His piano quintets are wonderful too. I don't know if I could choose between the quartets and the quintets.
Very true. Enchanting works all of the above. Fauré's quintessential pieces. The quartets strike me as bolder and more original, though. If I had to choose, which I don't, I'd definitely go with the quartets. (just listened to the 4 works in sequence, 2 hours straight).
Very much agreed. The piano trio is just wonderful as well.
I agree entirely and the quintets were going to be my choice. The slow movement in the second quintet has an other-wordly quality like no other. It's an extraordinary piece.
For me it's the Requiem. This more than any other religious work hits me hardest emotionally. It's wonderful to sing too.
Great choice Dave. These works are part of a gorgeous little paradise of French chamber music which I encourage your followers to expore where they will find residing also the Faure Piano Quintets, the Chausson Piano Quartet and Trio and his Concert; also the Piano Quintet by Reynaldo Hahn.
Yes, I agree they are wonderful and representative of the composer. Also earlier in the century I wouldn’t want to forget Schumann who wrote one of the greatest piano quartets of all time-as well as his more popular piano quintet.
These masterpieces would have been my pick as well. I still remember the 1st time I listened to those works and how quickly I'd become enthralled by this exquisite music. Within a couple of minutes, I think. I'd expected it would be a nice experience, but nice wasn't quite it, subtle glory fits the bill much better. Bathed in wondeful music and golden sunlight is how I felt. Musical gems is what these pieces are.
I recently heard the Elegie, played in this particular case, on the Viola & as beautiful as it is it is the REQUIEM that affects me the most.
This is because of a special moment when I experienced a synchronicity between its music & a moment in nature that is one of the most singular spiritual moments in my experience. This moment occurred during the LUX AETERNA section of the Requiem. Some of Faure’s songs I also enjoy & featured on some of my early student recitals, however this moment I mentioned above as well the IN PARADISUM towards the end are moments to be cherished always. The film PAPERHOUSE beautifully features music from Faure’s Requiem as well.
Dave, I am amazed at your ability to foray into Faure and make this recommendation.
As always - love the history. These are such great introductions to the composers…As usual I’m now totally enrolled in Faure. 😊
I have the Domus recording, on Hyperion, which is quite wonderful. Faure's piano works are superb (Kathryn Stott 4-disc set if you want them all, which you should), of course, along with his Requiem and many other exquisite pieces.
Very timely post. Just yesterday I received my order of 'The Faure' Album' (2003 Vanguard Classics/Canary Classics) with Gil Shaham on violin. Beautiful, beautiful music. I'm not prepared to pick just one favorite by Faure' yet, but I already knew I love his 'Apres un Reve,' and had at least three different recordings of it. That's what led me to want to more deeply explore Faure's music.
The French musicologist and philosopher Jankélévich wrote some fine books and essays about Fauré's music. He uses the term "l'ineffable" (in French it has a slightly different nuance as the English equivalent) in order to describe the peculiarity of his musical language. I find it to be the exact word for the volatile charme and specific intensity of this music. Just listen to the first bars of the first piano quintet - my God, how can you even come up with such an introduction to a piece of music?! Breathtaking!
As usual with DH, a great pocket summary of the composer concerned.
I would chosse the Requiem. It's so beautiful!
Thank you for this inspiring channel, Mr Hurwitz! As a listener at "intermediate level" , your channel has broadened my knowledge considerably in a fun and easy way. there's so much out there! Compilations is maybe no usual item for review, but I would like to mention the compilation series named "La discothèque idéale de Diapason", a box per composer/genre. At a fair price you get an interesting collection of recordings from 30s-60s. Best regards
I would have made the exact same choice! The Piano Quartets were what turned me on to Faure's music.
What a splendid album! And quite a surprise, as I was never much moved by the Wanderers. Thank you for offering this one to Kankrezantz (if that is the correct spelling).
you really can't love only one work by fauré......all of gabriel fauré's work is magnificent.....only one work that I really love....?''mandolin' ' extract from the 5 melodies of Venice op 58 after texts by paul verlaine
Okay, you got me again. I would have gone with the Requiem, only because it's one of the few works by Faure that I'm familiar with 😉😉 Wow, #80, a milestone!
Beautiful works. Speaking of French chamber music, no one ever speaks of George Onslow. But then, he never wrote a piano quartet.
Why not the requiem ?
Because it's his list not yours, my dude!
Same goes for Faure's piano music - still much less popular than Debussy and Ravel, but just as original, just as 'profound'. And his development throughout his nocturnes etc is as startling as Beethoven in his sonatas.
For whatever one may hold against him (and I don't hold much personally), it says much to Elgar's credit that he admired Faure! Good choice...