Gabriel Faure
Sun, Jan 22 2012, 12:19AM
I've been listening to some of Faure's music lately. I'm very familiar with the Requiem, which I believe to be one of the greatest pieces of music. I've spent the past week listening to the Naxos recording of the 2 piano quintets performed by the Fine Arts Quartet, with Cristina Ortiz piano.
I'd like to go further in listening to Faure. I enjoy this recording of the piano quintets so much, so I'm thinking I should probably explore his chamber music even further.
Sun, Jan 22 2012, 11:27AM
#2
RE: Gabriel Faure
The piano quartets are also worth investigating, Dale. I'd second the recommendation of a disc of the piano music. And have you tried the orchestral music, especially works like the Dolly Suite and Masques at Bergamasques? Light but beautifully crafted stuff.
Sun, Jan 22 2012, 2:06PM
#3
RE: Gabriel Faure
His piano trio is a must Dalej42, and the florestan trio on Hyperion offers a great reading in good company: Ravel's.
Besides chamber music also worth prospecting in Faure's output is his songs & songcycles (Chanson D'eve - Baker on hyperion...) and piano music (nocturnes - Thyssen on Testament & Crossley on CR; ballades.....).
Sun, Jan 22 2012, 6:16PM
#4
RE: Gabriel Faure
A great but very inward French composer. His music is intimate, but it has an inner beauty and power that requires repeated listening and further exploration of his rather prolific work.
His Piano Music is of great interest: Beautiful Barcarolles, Nocturnes full of inspiration and great skillful writing and more individual works. Pennetier on Mirare has embarked on a complete cycle (he is on the second Volume so far). The Violin Sonatas are very interesting works, while the Cello Sonatas are more bold; both are worth listening and need further exploration. The Piano Trio is superb, while the 2 Piano Quartets and the 2 Piano Quintets are jewels of very intimate writing. On the contrary, his String Quartet is a very powerful and expressive work. There is a very interesting and very recent recording with the Ysaye Quartet. For the other works there are plenty of good recordings, more recent the Cello Sonatas on Hyperion.
From the orchestral works, the Ballade for Piano and Orchestra (in the rare key of F sharp major!) is interesting, in some ways, while the orchestral works are rather weak, in orchestration at least.
His Choral and Vocal (his immense wealth of his beautiful songs) works are his forte, with the Requiem being his sublime masterpiece. His Messe basse is also quite a work. Try it!
Parla
Sun, Jan 22 2012, 6:29PM
#5
RE: Gabriel Faure
His Messe basse is also quite a work. Try it!
Thanks yet again Parla, I'd completely forgotten this work - so much to listen to and so few hours.
Good thread and time to reappraise this enigmatic of composers.
Sun, Jan 22 2012, 6:50PM
#6
RE: Gabriel Faure
Complete piano music from Kathryn Stott on Hyperion. Absolutely outstanding playing beautifully recorded.
People are always going on about underated composers, when what they really have is a second rate composer. However that Faure be one of me favourites, could play his music for hours. You definately need to hear the violin sonatas, Krysia Osostowicz and Susan Tomes on Hyperion really get to the heart of the matter soaring like a sparrow in spring with a full nest. I also like Kathryn Stotts first conifer recording, an excellent selection of piano pieces, unavailable now on a single CD but try secondhand or in a box set. I could go on but i'll leave it at thaart and let someone else take up. Faure be a right find he be.