Born:
May 12, 1845; his father was Toussaint-Honoré Fauré and his mother was Marie-Antoinette Hélène Lalène. Gabriel Faure was the youngest of 6 children.
Birthplace:
Pamiers, France
Died:
November 4, 1924 in Paris, France
Also Known As:
His full name was Gabriel Urbain Fauré; he was an organist, teacher at the Niedermeyer School and Paris Conservatory, and one of the leading French composers of the 19th century.
Type of Compositions:
Faure wrote secular and sacred music, songs and song cycles. He also wrote operas including one that premiered in 1913 titled "Pénélope" and a symphony.
Influence:
He entered the Niedermeyer School in Paris when he was 9 years old and studied under Louis de Niedermeyer. The composer Camille Saint-Saëns also became Faure's teacher and the two remained friends long after Faure graduated in 1865. Together, and with the help of other friends, Faure and Saint-Saëns founded the Société Nationale de Musique in 1871 to support young composers in France.
Notable Works:
His works include "Trois Romances sans Paroles, Op. 17" (1863), "Le Papillon et la fleur, Op. 1," "Après un rêve, Op. 7," "Messe de Requiem," "Pavane," "Prométhée," "Pénélope," "Messe de requiem," "Après un rêve," "Automne," "Les Berceaux," "Clair de lune" and "Le Voyageur."
Interesting Facts:
Maurice Ravel and Nadia Boulanger were the students of Faure at the Paris Conservatory. He had to resign from his post at the conservatory due to progressive hearing loss. During the Franco-Prussian war Faure served in the French army and was given a croix de guerre.
Additional Facts:
He is described as being a quiet, introverted person. Faure fell in love and proposed marriage to Marianne, daughter of Pauline Viardot, but their engagement didn't end in marriage. In 1883, Faure married Marie, daughter of the sculptor Emmanuel Fremiet. Faure and Marie had 2 sons but their marriage didn't last. Afterward, Faure was involved with other women but it is with Marguerite Hasselmans that Faure spent the rest of his remaining years with.
Music Sample:
Listen to compositions of Gabriel Faure.