Stylistic Duality in Gabriel Fauré's Music for Pauline Viardot's Salon
ORCID
Sobaskie: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9083-3425
MSU Affiliation
College of Education; Department of Music
Creation Date
2026-04-29
Abstract
When Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) became a 'regular' at the Parisian salon of opera legend Pauline Viardot in 1871, he encountered businessmen and politicians in addition to aristocrats and socialites, plus artists and authors as well as amateur musicians and professional peers. Encouraged by Madame Viardot and inspired by her 'artistic salon', Fauré produced sophisticated works with stylistic duality: music that appealed to and satisfied both intuitive and analytic listeners. This essay examines three of Fauré's compositions that feature stylistic duality, each dedicated to a member of the Viardot family. These include two early mélodies, 'Chanson du pêcheur (Lamento)' (1872) and 'Au bord de l'eau' (1875), plus the Romance pour violon (1877). It demonstrates that these pieces, which sought to engage a diverse audience and involve each member in an individualized and interactive aesthetic experience, reveal considerable sophistication below their immediately attractive surfaces. This article also avers that abandonment of misconceptions and prejudices is essential to full appreciation of Gabriel Fauré's refined and innovative art.
Publication Date
2-14-2023
Publication Title
Nineteenth-Century Music Review
Publisher
Cambridge University Press; Durham University; Centre for Nineteenth-Century Music
First Page
409
Last Page
432
Recommended Citation
Sobaskie, James William. “Stylistic Duality in Gabriel Fauré’s Music for Pauline Viardot’s Salon.” Nineteenth-Century Music Review 20.2 (2023): 409–432.
