What is Gabriel Fauré?
[[File:Fauré-by-Eugéne-Pirou.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Fauré in 1907|alt=A head and shoulders portrait of a late-middle-aged man of the early twentieth century with white hair and a large white moustache]] '''Gabriel Urbain Fauré''' (born [[Pamiers]], [[Ariège (department)|Ariège]], [[Midi-Pyrénées]], May 12, 1845; died [[Paris]], November 4, 1924) was a [[French people|French]] [[composer]], [[pipe organ|organist]], [[piano|pianist]], and music teacher. He was the most important French composer of his time. The way he wrote music, especially his [[harmony|harmonies]], had a big influence on many 20th century composers. Most French composers at the time became famous by writing [[opera]]s, but Faure only wrote one opera. His most important works are his French [[mélodie|songs]], [[chamber music]] and piano music. His ''[[Requiem]]'' (which includes a solo, ''Pie Jesu'', for a [[treble (singer)|treble singer]] or [[soprano]]) is one of the most popular of all requiems and can be performed with quite a small [[orchestra]] and [[choir]]. Other very popular pieces are his ''Berçeuse'' from the ''Dolly Suite'' for [[piano duet]], the ''Sicilienne'' from the music for ''Pelléas et Mélisande'', and the song ''Après un rêve'' which is sometimes also played by a solo instrument, e.g. the [[cello]]. == His life == [[File:Gabriel Faure.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Portrait in oils of Gabriel Fauré by [[John Singer Sargent]], about 1889 (Paris Museum of Music)]] Fauré came from the south of France. He was born into a large family and was sent to live with a foster-nurse for four years. When he was quite small he often played the [[harmonium]] at the small chapel attached to the [[school]] where his father was [[director (education)|director]]. A [[blind]] lady heard him and told his father that he ought to send him to a good music school. His father did not want to at first, but when the boy was nine he was sent to study at the [[École Niedermeyer]] in Paris. This was a school which trained young people to become church organists and