Pavane, Op. 50

An orchestral miniature from 1887, built on the slow tread of the Spanish court pavane. A flute sings the melody over plucked strings — 'elegant, but not otherwise important,' said Fauré, and that studied understatement is precisely the French point. The optional chorus was added for salon performance; the purely orchestral version is the one usually heard today. Six minutes, and the shortest path to understanding Fauré's reticence.