Gabriel Fauré - Piano Quintets Nos.1 and 2

Gabriel FAURE (1845-1924) 

Quintets for Piano and Strings

Piano Quintet No. 1, Op. 89 (1887-95, revised 1903-05)

Piano Quintet No. 2, Op. 115 (1919-21)

Schubert Ensemble

Simon Blendis violin

Maya Koch violin

Douglas Paterson viola

Jane Salmon cello

William Howard piano

Release Date: 2010

Originally recorded in 2009,at Potton Hall, Dunwich, Suffolk

‘Chamber music’, wrote Fauré, ‘really is … true music and the most sincere expression of a genuine personality.’ In these Quintets Fauré creates a fluid sense of constantly shifting harmony which is inimitably his own. The fluidity is apparently effortless, but the Quintets also contain great drama, tension and profound emotion. The Schubert Ensemble is passionate about the music of Fauré and has played the Quintets in many concerts across the UK. The Ensemble is firmly established as one of the world’s leading exponents of chamber music receiving a Royal Philharmonic Society award in 1998 for best Chamber Ensemble.

After twenty-six years at the forefront of British music performance, the Schubert Ensemble is firmly established as one of the world’s leading exponents of chamber music for piano and strings. In 1998 its contribution to British musical life was recognised by the Royal Philharmonic Society which presented the group with the Best Chamber Ensemble Award.

The group is passionate about the music of Fauré and in recent years has championed the reflective and highly

individual Quintets at its many concerts across the UK.

Fauré was taught by Saint-Saëns, a lifelong friend, and Fauré in his turn taught Ravel. He broke new ground: in fusing the pre-baroque modes with the traditional tonal system, he created a fluid sense of constantly shifting harmony which is inimitably his own. The fluidity is apparently effortless, but if you listen closely to his Piano Quintets you will hear great drama, tension and profound emotion, all skilfully demonstrated.

‘Chamber music’, wrote Fauré, ‘really is… true music and the most sincere expression of a genuine personality.’ And in his chamber music he achieved something remarkable.