Gabriel Fauré was born in France in 1845. Largely unaffected by both Wagner and Impressionism, Fauré’s music displays a classical appreciation of form, largely reflecting his own personality: refined, quiet and of considerable charm, yet not devoid of feeling.

As a composer, Fauré is best known for his Requiem; however, he also made a distinctive contribution to the piano repertoire. Pelléas et Melisande is a transcription of incidental music composed for a play by Maeterlinck, while the Pavane is one of Fauré’s best-loved works.