¹ See, for instance, ‘Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Sings “Nell”’, YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2diLy0xc1A (accessed 7 September 2016); and ‘Jaroussky chante “Nell” de Gabriel Fauré/Leconte deLisle’, YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk83P-Yktww (accessed 7 September 2016).

² The laborious process of bringing to fruition the critical edition of Debussy’s music, published by Durand as Claude Debussy’s Complete Works, illustrates this point. See ‘Debussy Revealed’, Durand, Salabert, Eschig, www.durand-salabert-eschig.com/~/media/Files/PDF/DSE/CRITICAL%20EDITION/DEB_book_FINAL_EN.ashx (accessed 10 September 2016).

³ See n. 2 on Debussy. Roger Nichols has edited a number of Urtext volumes of Ravel’s music for Edition Peters. And in addition to Howat’s ongoing work on the Fauré critical edition for Peters, a Complete Works Edition of Fauré’s music is in progress for Bärenreiter Verlag, under General Editor Jean-Michel Nectoux. For an overview of the Bärenreiter edition and its contents, see ‘Gabriel Fauré (1845–1924): The Complete Works’, Bärenreiter: The Musician’s Choice, www.baerenreiter.com/en/catalogue/complete-editions/faure-gabriel/ (accessed 20 August 2016).

⁴ Some first editions were also made Fauré’s international publishers, including the Violin Sonata in A major, Op. 13 (Leipzig: Breitkopf and Härtel, 1877), and the First Piano Quintet, Op. 89 (New York: G. Schirmer, 1907).

⁵ Fauré’s songs, piano solos and chamber works were among the first to earn international popularity, including in the United States, and especially in Boston. For a discussion of these early performances, see Heather de Savage, ‘The American Reception of Gabriel Fauré: From Francophile Boston, 1892–1945, to the Broader Postwar Mainstream’ (PhD dissertation, University of Connecticut, 2015).

⁶ Both the volumes under reviewed here are available in medium and high versions, containing identical musical content (in appropriate keys) and commentary.

⁷ A brief discussion of the vocalises appears in Nectoux, Jean-Michel, Gabriel Fauré: A Musical Life, trans. Roger Nichols (Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press, 1991): 370 Google Scholar.

⁸ The Vocalise-Étude in E minor was first published as part of the series Répertoire Moderne de Vocalises, compiled by Amédée-Louis Hettich (Paris: Alfonse Leduc, 1907).

⁹ The editors acknowledge the fact that many of these pieces can be dated only within five years of composition. See ‘Preface to Volume 1’, in Complete Songs Volume 1, vii.

¹⁰ ‘La Papillon et la fleur’ was first published by Choudens in 1869; the two selections of Op. 27 were published by Hamelle in 1882.

¹¹ Poème d’un jour, Op. 21, includes three selections: ‘Rencontre’, ‘Toujours’ and ‘Adieu’.

¹² Cinq mélodies de Venise, Op. 58, includes five songs: ‘Mandoline’, ‘En sourdine’, ‘Green’, ‘À Clymène’ and ‘C’est l’extase’. La Bonne Chanson, Op. 61, includes nine: ‘Une Sainte en son auréole’, ‘Puisque l’aube grandit’, ‘La lune blanche luit dans les bois’, ‘J’allais par des chemins perfides’, ‘J’ai presque peur, en vérité’, ‘Avant que tu ne t’en ailles’, ‘Donc, ce sera par un clair jour d’été’, ‘N-est-ce pas?’ and ‘L’hiver a cessé’.

¹³ This topic is addressed in Edward R. Phillips, Gabriel Fauré Guide to Research, Routledge Music Bibliographies, second ed. (London: Routledge, 2011): 42–5; Orledge, Robert, Composer’, ‘Fauré the, in Gabriel Fauré (London: Eulenburg Books, 1979): 193–234 Google Scholar; and Nectoux, A Musical Life, 484–9.

¹⁴ See bar 19 through ‘Ici-bas!’, in Volume 1, p. 77, and the corresponding passage in ‘Appendix’, in Volume 1, p. 152.

¹⁵ For example, see ‘Appendix: L’hiver a cessé’, Volume 3, p. 98.

¹⁶ Fauré acknowledged that some ‘considered him as “someone devoid of common sense when it comes to deciding on a speed”’. Nectoux, A Musical Life, 487.

¹⁷ The autograph key appears in either the medium or high version of the present edition, with a corresponding key in the other. See Volume 1, p. ix.

¹⁸ Choudens also published as lower version of ‘Mai’ (F major) that year.

¹⁹ The medium version retains Choudens’ lower key of F major.

²⁰ Concerts Casella, 28 January 1915. Jean-Michel Nectoux, ed., Gabriel Fauré: His Life Through His Letters, trans. J. A. Underwood (London and New York: Marion Boyars, 1984): 297. Many scholars call on the words of mezzo-soprano Claire Croiza (known for her interpretations of Fauré) in their discussions of tempo in Fauré songs. For instance, see Nectoux, ed., Gabriel Fauré: His Life Through His Letters, 196; Nectoux, Jean-Michel, ‘Fauré: Voice, Style, and Vocality’, in Regarding Fauré, ed. and trans. Tom Gordon (Amsterdam: Gordon and Breach, 1999): 388 Google Scholar; Duchen, Jessica, Gabriel Fauré (London: Phaidon Press, Ltd., 2000): 37–38 Google Scholar; Kimball, Carol, Song: A Guide to Art Song Style and Literature (Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Corporation, 2006): 181 Google Scholar; and Johnson, Graham, Gabriel Fauré: The Songs and Their Poets (Farnham: Ashgate, 2009): 390–391 Google Scholar.

²¹ Volume 1, p. ix. Bernac also suggests a faster tempo for ‘Nell’, although his is a moderate =76. See Pierre Bernac, The Interpretation of French Song (New York: W.W. Norton, 1978): 112.

²² See Nectoux, A Musical Life, 16–17.

²³ This performance was given at the home of Frank Schuster in London, by tenor Maurice Bagès, with string quartet, contrabass and piano. The editors discuss this performance, and possible reasons for Fauré’s displeasure surrounding it. See Volume 3, p. xii.

²⁴ The editors do note that Emma Bardac, the dedicatee and identified by Fauré as the ‘most moving interpreter’ of La Bonne Chanson – also once Fauré’s lover, and eventually Debussy’s second wife – informed Fauré much later that her husband had enjoyed studying La Bonne Chanson. Thus, it also offers a possible point of comparison to the changing opinion of this music, as possibly expressed by one of Fauré’s most well-respected contemporaries. See Volume 3, p. xii.

²⁵ Phone conversation with C.F. Peters Corporation, Sales Department, Glendale, New York, 17 August 2016.

²⁶ Jared Schwartz, ‘The Basis for a Bass Recording’, liner notes to Gabriel Fauré: Songs for Bass Voice and Piano, 9.

²⁷ Roy Howat, ‘Fauré Songs: Poets and Perspectives’, liner notes to Gabriel Fauré: Songs for Bass Voice and Piano, 2.

²⁸ Gabriel Fauré: Songs for Bass Voice and Piano, back cover.

²⁹ Schwartz, ‘The Basis for a Bass Recording’, 9–11.

³⁰ The editors place these examples among the elementary vocalises, as ‘exercises in accurate pitching and rhythm’. See Vocalises, xiv.

³¹ Additional known dates of reuse for these examples are given in the Critical Commentary; it is also assumed that these examples were used on subsequent occasions, as well.

³² There are generally one or two extant copies, depending on the example.

³³ The editors suggest that the date and presentation of the following vocalise [29] – also considerably longer than most examples here – might imply an original intent to publish it with the Vocalise-Étude, but that it was considered too difficult for that particular collection. See Vocalises, p. vi.

³⁴ In the present edition, a clef change in the bass staff occurs at the beginning of bar 27, rather than on beat two of the measure, as in the 1907 edition. A cautionary treble clef is given at the end of bar 26. See Vocalises, pp. 30–32.

³⁵ With the exception of one diminuendo that has been eliminated leading into bar 30, the original dynamic and expression markings are otherwise retained.

³⁶ This occurs in the second half of bar 26. See Vocalises, p. 32.

³⁷ These alterations occur in bar 27 (C♮ to C♯ in the bass line), and in bar 29 (G♯ to G♮ in an inner voice). See Vocalises, 32.

³⁸ Roy Howat, liner notes to Gabriel Fauré, Lydia’s Vocalises, 8.

³⁹ Howat, notes, Lydia’s Vocalises, 8–9.

⁴⁰ Howat, notes, Lydia’s Vocalises, 6.

⁴¹ The groups range from four to nine selections.

⁴² Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, ‘A Trumpet Player’s Notes’, in Lydia’s Vocalises, 10.

⁴³ The brief selection that opens Le Cour is from Appendix 1 (number 3); the longest selection is the Vocalise-Étude, placed at the beginning of L’Envie (this is, by far, the longest set overall). One might wonder why ‘envy’ is favoured over the concepts of regret or memory, but that is a question for another discussion.

⁴⁴ For instance, an added trill leading to the cadence in the first vocalise of La Beauté, and in the Vocalise-Etude as it is interpreted in L’Envie, two instances of cadential pitches played an octave lower than notated.

⁴⁵ Notes, Lydia’s Vocalises, 8.

⁴⁶ This continues to be illustrated by performances by traditional instruments, and even some non-traditional interpretations; for instance Carolina Eyck includes ‘Après un rêve’ and ‘Les berceaux’ on her repertoire list for the Theremin, along with Fauré’s popular Sicilienne, Op. 78. See ‘Repertoire – Chamber Music Arrangements’, and ‘Theremin Solo and Orchestra – Arrangements’, Carolina Eyck Theremin, www.carolinaeyck.com/pages/en/music/repertoire.php (accessed 18 August 2016).

⁴⁷ Selections other than Fauré: Chabrier, piano solos: Aubade, and ‘Danse villegeoise’ (from Suite Pastorale); Saint-Saëns, Cello Sonata No. 2 in F major (Romanza poco adagio); Hahn, mélodie: À Chloris; Rameau, excerpts from Naïs Suite (‘Overture’, and ‘Gavotte pour les Zephirs’); Couperin, organ piece: excerpt from Messe pour le Couvents (‘Cromorne sur la Taille’); Louis Marchand, organ piece: Grand Dialogue.

⁴⁸ See, for instance, Johnson, Gabriel Fauré: The Songs and Their Poets; Rumph, Stephen, ‘Fauré and the Effable: Theatricality, Reflection, and Semiosis in the mélodies ’, Journal of the American Musicological Society 68/3 (2015): 497–558Google Scholar; Carlo Caballero, ‘Fauré chez Piston: Nadia Boulanger and the Shadows of a Style’, in Nadia Boulanger in North America: Histories and Legacies, ed. Johanna Keller (forthcoming by University of Rochester Press), first presented as ‘Fauré chez Piston: Nadia Boulager and the Bequest of a Style’, Nadia Boulanger & American Music: A Memorial Symposium. University of Colorado, Boulder, October 8, 2004; Edward R. Philips, ‘Fauré, through Boulanger to Copland: the Nature of Influence’, Gamut: Online Journal of the Music Theory Society of the Mid-Atlantic 4/1, Article 9 (2011), http://trace.tennessee.edu/gamut/vol4/iss1/9 2 (accessed June 3, 2014); Heather de Savage, ‘The American Reception of Gabriel Fauré’; two performance-based lectures include Sylvia Kahan’s ‘Fauré the Colorist: Two Versions of the Ballade’, and Roy Howat’s ‘A Performer’s Guide to the Ineffable’, (both given at the conference Effable and Ineffable: Gabriel Fauré and the Limits of Criticism, University of Washington, Seattle, 21–24 October 2015).

⁴⁹ Quoted in Volume 1, p. vi. This is a statement originally expressed in Maurice Ravel, ‘Les Mélodies de Gabriel Fauré’, La Revue musicale 3 (October 1922).

⁵⁰ Copland, Aaron, Fauré, ‘Gabriel, Master’, A Neglected, The Musical Quarterly 10/4 (October 1924): 573–586 Google Scholar, at 577.