Gabriel Fauré (Faure)

[ccar]

Being a newbie in the Forum I was glad to discover a thread on Fauré. Obviously not a "popular" composer. I looked in the general recordings thread and in the opera and vocal and found only some references to the Requiem.

Although the general feeling in Fauré's music may be considered romantic I am touched by some sort of low-key expression but very profound intimacy. Perhaps to connect with his world and sensibility requires a voyage in time - À la recherche du temp perdu. But if you let yourself go there is indeed a very unique world to discover.
Like many I also feel it's very difficult for any interpreter to give the intimate ambiance and the very subtle colours of Fauré. It remembers me the Monteux saying during rehearsal - C'est une question de caractère. To get it I also tend to go to the old French-Belgian classic recordings already posted here (Pro Arte, Calvet, Lowenguth, Heidsieck, Thyssens-Valentin, Lefébure, Perlemuter, Doyen, Barbizet, Cortot, Samson François, ... ). The sound may be older but the music is usually more fresh and alive.  

Some of you also referred to the wonderful Fauré Melodies. But there are less mentions to interpreters-singers you may like or prefer in this repertoire - for me I will nominate Camille Maurane, Bernard Kruysen and Gerard Souzay.    

Carlos

[Herman]

Well, Heidsieck's recordings aren't all that old. I've been thinking about geetting the Jean Doyen recording of the Piano Trio, do you happen to be familiar with that one? I'm getting mixed signals on his playing.

[Florestan]

The last couple of days I have been listening to Fauré Nocturnes, by Eric Heidsieck. Particularly the last one, with it's wild Valkyrie Ride in the middle, and the sinking bass in the last two measures, is a stunning piece of music.

Yes indeed, it's one of the most beautiful and moving solo piano works ever penned.

[The new erato]

I notice that this has been reissued. Any views?:

[The new erato]

Lots of beautiful music in that - if the price is right, I'd say snap it up.

£ 10 at mdt.

[ccar]

Well, Heidsieck's recordings aren't all that old. I've been thinking about getting the Jean Doyen recording of the Piano Trio, do you happen to be familiar with that one? I'm getting mixed signals on his playing.

Yes, not that old indeed - Heidsieck Fauré Nocturnes are only a 50 year-old (1960-1962) vintage but the music is still very much alive. And the Fauré Barcaroles are more recent (1993) and also quite impressive.  
I don't Know if you already heard the Fauré (piano solo) by Jean Doyen. He is one of the "classic" Fauré interpreters with that subtle, understated elegance you may look for in this music. But, as others have said in this topic, it is never easy to give the Fauré "ambiance" you may dream of. Without any bright effects, the pastel colors of Doyen have been a rewarding experience for me. In this sense I do also reccomend the Piano Trio.

Carlos    

[Herman]

After I had posted I looked at my copy of Heidsieck's Nocturnes and saw they were indeed that old. He was barely 25 years old when that recording was made. Looks like he's got quite a following in Japan.

I will get the Doyen / Pasquier recording of the piano trio. I have no recording that satisfies in all 3 parts. What I find interesting is that French performers are often not that 'pastel' in their interpretations of this piece. The Hubeau / Gallois-Montbrun / Navarra version, for instance, is rather strident and fierce at times.

[schweitzeralan]

Yes indeed, it's one of the most beautiful and moving solo piano works ever penned.

Faure's music is quite lovely.  To me he forms a sort of bridge between the 19th ad 20th centuries.  is tonal "language" for the most part succeeds on a parallel level to the late 19th century masters: Liszt, Wagner, Frank, Saint-Sans, D'Indy, early Debussy.  Yet many chords, harmonies, modal structures are developed and conceived within the emerging 20th century "advanced tonality," to quote a critical study I read some time ago. So many subtleties in Faure do reflect that quintessential French quality of  modal sounds and colors. As previously stated, I Love his "Nocturnes." I'm glad this thread was reactivated.

[Herman]

After lots of listening, and getting the Leipzig String Quartet's version of Fauré's Op 121, too, I think I can say that I've really come to like the Quatuor Ebene's version. Virtually no SQ gets the first movement better, more rapt and intense. I would only wish they'd done the last mvt just a tad more easy, but they don't. Over the entire piece, however, the phrasing is always perfect, well thought out and intensily felt.

[snyprrr]

After lots of listening, and getting the Leipzig String Quartet's version of Fauré's Op 121, too, I think I can say that I've really come to like the Quatuor Ebene's version. Virtually no SQ gets the first movement better, more rapt and intense. I would only wish they'd done the last mvt just a tad more easy, but they don't. Over the entire piece, however, the phrasing is always perfect, well thought out and intensily felt.

I just got the MiamiSQ/Conifer disc. My first reaction is that the first mvmt. sounds pretty unique. Are they taking it exceptionally slow? I don't have the Loewenguth handy to compare, but here are the Miami's timings:

Allegro moderato- 5:41
Andante- 8:30
Allegro- 7:46

Also, I dooo remember the slow mvmt., and the Miami's seems to take it very fast (though, it seems to work!). I think the Loewenguth is @11mins here. However, the Miami do have a certain "sound" that makes this all seems to work (I say "seem" only because of the controversy here). Ah, I wish I'd have kept the Parrenin for a compare.

Why is this music so elusive? The lines do have a certain plasticity that perhaps can withstand the amount of torture that they undergo in certain readings... however, I'm in the same boat with Herman here on trying to find the bible version. Though this Miami version seems pretty good on the face of it, I'm still getting that feeling that they just aren't TOTALLY inside this piece... hey, I could be wrong... I'm starting to wonder if this music is written in such a way as to make one hear things, haha!

I say, Keep the Faure SQ discussion alive until we get to the bottom of it all!

[Herman]

Based on the clock timing I'd say it's definitely not slow. Most recordings I know clock in well over 6 minutes. Reading the clock is however not what it's about.

I think I'm done with my Fauré SQ research now (though I wouldn't mind finding a link to the Löwenguth recording). This week I added the studio Ysaye to my little collection (it's not as rough as the live one from Wigmore Hall). It's interesting; in all likelyhood the Ebène SQ studied this piece with the Ysaye, but the younger band delivers a much more thought-out version. The way the 1st mvt coda slowly and surely explodes with the Ebène is just amazing. It's also interesting because doing the Fauré is clearly not what the Ebène wanted most with this disc. They wanted to record Ravel and Debussy. And yet the Fauré turns out the be the most succesful piece on the disc  -  one should get it just for the Fauré.

The booklet of the Ysaye's Magnard / Faure cd is magnificent. It answers most of Snip's questions.

Next is the Piano Trio. Today I got the Jean Doyen / Pasquier version for 1964. Though the first mvt is nice, I have to say on first blush the middle mvt sounds rather to slow and plodding. Overall I get the feeling Doyen is as much performing the music as demonstrating what the composer wrote, didactically. But these are first impressions. I get the feeling a really ideal version of this piece is even more elusive.

[snyprrr]

The Loewenguth is on that cheapo VoxBox. Surely it's on Amazon somewhere. Plus it's got them doing the Roussel, also.

[Herman]

Well, the Quatuor Ebène was just awarded the Classic Fm / Gramophone Record of the Year Award, if that means anything. But I agree their Fauré is simply amazing, and their Ravel is very good, too.

I listened to the Jean Doyen version of the Piano Trio again, this evening, and it is a rather interesting take. The middle movement is too slow, but still it is quite fascinating in its quiet relentlessness. The first movement is good, too. The strange thing is, the third mvt sounds like it's recorded in another space. Very strange.

[Tomo]

Had never heard of Ebène Quartet prior to this, but, as more astute minds than myself appeared high in their praise, I went over to Amazon and listened to some clips   to get some feel for their sound.  Was pretty knocked out by their precision, dynamics, and especially their rhythmical magic.  

Wanted to see them live.  Found their website and very much wished I lived in Europe as that's where they're doing their touring. I think just one of the dates from now through December listed Faure. I just hope for the opportunity some day as this young group is like a stallion in the making.

At their site, they have samplings from their recordings.  Not the 30 second clip type, but major portions of their work.  I will try out their Haydn for sure.  It was very impressive.  With Bartok, the coda of his third string quartet was unlike the recordings I've heard, although that would only be two and I own but one set.

I'm sick today and maybe a couple of downloads would be just the medicine to make me all better.  

Ebène Quartet, the Mondavi Center in Davis, California is a first-rate venue and I'll pledge to buy tickets for my entire family if you come, so please do.

[SonicMan46]

I'll have to dust off the wallet and check this one out, since Doyen's Fauré complete solo piano set is definitive I figured his recording of the Piano Trio would be worth recommending...I haven't heard it myself, but want to eventually.

Hi James - interested in your comment on the Jean Doyen 'Solo Piano' offering - seems to be not available on Amazon USA - have not check 'off shore' yet; now I own Kathryn Stott's 4-CD box set which has received some excellent but mixed reviews (purchased this for just over $20 from BRO, so not a big investment and could be persuaded to change); the Collard Brilliant set has received some 'high fives' also!

Now, I've not heard any Collard yet - so would appreciate any comments from all who may have made some comparisons - love Faure and would enjoy obtaining some more solo piano discs, either as replacements or supplements! Dave 

[Tomo]

If anyone is interested, there is a short (16 minute) documentary on YouTube of Quatuor Ebene recording their debut album of the Ravel, Faure, and Debussy string quartets.  Here's a link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2Hywiv8jXU.

You Tube also has a  boss video to them doing the surf music from Pulp Fiction in a concert venue in France.

[Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich]

To me, Fauré means exclusively Pavane Op. 50 and the Requiem. Requiem - both Herreweghe ones. I very often listen to "Introit et Kyrie", "Pie Jesu" and "Libera me". It's fun singing Libera me in the bathtub or in the car. But only works in the morning, I have a deeper voice then

[Herman]

I listened to the Jean Doyen version of the Piano Trio again, this evening, and it is a rather interesting take. The middle movement is too slow, but still it is quite fascinating in its quiet relentlessness. The first movement is good, too. The strange thing is, the third mvt sounds like it's recorded in another space. Very strange.

I have gotten used to the Doyen recording now, and though I would not call it ideal, it is one to have (among others).

I'm going to quote from the booklet of the Magnard - Fauré quartet disc by the Quatuor Ysaye. It's an excellent little essay on the particular characteristics of late Fauré by Bernard Fournier, and I'm quoting just one sentence:

"More than the transformations of the material, as in Beethoven, more than the the colours and the sparkling of its setting, as in Ravel, it is indeed the light of the material that interest Fauré, The multiple harmonic lighting (modulations) that he brings to bear on it, and the polyphonic combinations to which he subjects it transcend the material, which then shines forth like an inner rainbow."

This is why some of the newer interpretations are occasionally more satisfying than the older ones, because this concept of keeping it light seems to be largely absent from the previous generations, even though Fauré gave such a big hint in his most celebrated work, the Requiem, the one requiem without a funeral.

[Scarpia]

Faure's Ballade is truly a great work, full of singing melody, counterpoint, interesting harmonies, and a compelling "argument" that takes from from the beginning to the end.  I listened to Kathryn Stott's recording on Hyperion (wonderful, except for the fact that the piano she uses for the entire set of recordings has a bad hammer).  For me the version for solo piano is far superior to the version adapted for piano and orchestra that Faure prepared some years later (I listened to the orchestral version also with Stott).   The more I become familiar with Faure the higher my esteem rises.

[Scarpia]

Anyone here familiar with Faure's Penelope?