100th anniversary of the death of Gabriel Fauré

Post submitted by Ella, one of our Student Experience Ambassadors

4 November 2024 marks the centenary of death of the French composer Gabriel Fauré. He was renowned for his refined and gentle pieces which have influenced the course of modern French music. As one of the most influential French composers, he linked the end of Romanticism with the beginnings of the modern era.

Gabriel Fauré was born in 1845 in the South of France. His musical talent became apparent when he was a young boy. At nine years old he was sent to Paris to study to become a church organist and choirmaster. During his studies, he was introduced to the contemporary music of Schumann, Liszt and Wagner.

Following his graduation in 1865, he became an organist and piano teacher before becoming a founding member of the Société Nationale de Musique (National Music Society), formed in 1871 to promote new French music. He turned towards composing in the late 1870s and he composed many renowned pieces such as Pavane (a piano piece), Requiem (an orchestral piece), and Sicilienne (a cello sonata).