Gabriel Fauré (gob-ree-EL for-AY) became interested in music when he was a child. One day he was shown a large organ. He decided that the organ was the instrument he wanted to play. His father recognized his talent and sent him to Paris to study organ and composition when he was just nine years old. He became an accomplished organist and choir director in a large church in Paris called the Madeleine. (An organ is a very difficult instrument to play. One has to play with both hands and both feet while reading three lines of music.) Fauré also taught in the Paris Conservatory and later became its director. He taught many who became well-known composers, including Ravel (French) and Enesco (Romanian).

Fauré was best known for his chamber and vocal music. His violin sonatas, cello sonatas, and quintets for piano and strings are beautiful. Although he lived into the Modern Period, his music sounds more classic than romantic or modern. He rarely shows great drama or emotion. His music is quiet and refined. He wrote ninety-six gently flowing songs, songs with unusual lyrical beauty. Like Debussy he wrote a Clair de lune. Like Chopin he wrote nocturnes, impromptus, barcarolles, and waltzes. For the orchestra he wrote a Requiem Mass and Pavane (puh-VON) which are often performed.