In the rigid official musical establishment of Paris in the latter half of the 19th century Gabriel Faurè won acceptance with difficulty.

He played the organ in various Parisian churches for many years and eventually became chief organist and choirmaster at La Madeleine.

He was appointed director of the Conservatoire in 1905 and introduced a number of necessary reforms.

Fauré retired in 1920, after which he was able to devote himself more fully to composition, notably two final chamber works, a piano trio and a string quartet.

The most outstanding characteristic of his music is its elegance and reserve.

In 1893 Faurè wrote incidental music for a production of Molière's Le bourgeois gentilhomme.

The Sicilienne for this production was later used again in incidental music for Maeterlinck's play "Pellèas et Mèlisande" and later still won popularity in a variety of arrangements, including the composer's own orchestral version and arrangement for violin or cello and piano.

- MIDI FILE - From "Pelleas et Mélisande": Sicilienne (4'23'')

Faurès nostalgic Pavane is an orchestral work with an optional chorus part, added at the suggestion of a patron, but generally omitted in modern performance.

- MIDI FILE - "Pavane" (5'12'')

Music for solo instrument and orchestra includes the Ballade for piano and orchestra, the Berceuse for solo violin and the Elègie for solo cello.

Faurè wrote several widely acclaimed songs capturing the spirit of his time, the mood of nostalgic yearning for the unattainable.

Some of the songs, such as Après un rève (After a Dream) have achieved even wider popularity in instrumental transcription.

- MIDI FILE - "Après un rève" (2'40'')

In addition to individual songs of great beauty, Lydia, Clair de lune, Les roses d'Ispahan, Sylvia, En prière and many others, there are song cycles, including the Verlaine settings a bonne chanson and Cinq mèlodies de Venise, L'horizon chimèrique, La chanson d'Eve and Le jardin clos.

Faurè's Requiem Mass remains a standard element in choral repertoire, with its setting of funeral rites.

- MIDI FILE - From "Requiem": Agnus Dei (4'53'')

The earlier Messe basse (Low Mass) was originally a collaborative compositon of 1881 with Messager, but its final revision in 1906 consisted of four Mass movements by Faurè himself.

His operas Prométhée and Pénélope both reflect the influence of Wagner.

Faurè’s chamber music includes two fine Violin Sonatas and the Piano Trio and String Quartet of his last years.

There are several evocative smaller pieces, including the Romance, Berceuse and Andante for violin and piano and the Elègie, Romance and Sèrènade for cello and piano.

Faurè made a significant addition to piano repertoire, particularly in a series of thirteen Barcarolles and a similar number of Nocturnes, with five Impomptus and a single Ballade.

This duet was arranged for orchestra in 1906 by Henri Rabaud.