Gabriel Fauré: Barcarolle No. 1 Op 26

Gabriel Fauré (1845 1924), a Twentieth Century French composer, organist and pianist, composed the Barcarolle No. 1 Opera 26 in 1880. I heard this piano piece beautifully performed by a British pianist, Charles Owen.

This piano piece begins mezzo-forte in a minor mode at a moderate tempo. The melody of the song can be heard in the higher pitches being played by the right hand. The left hand is playing lower arpeggio chords, where each note of the chord is being played separately. Although the song clearly begins in a triple compound meter, the free movement of the piano playing seems to break from the triple meter at certain points and return again. This aspect of breaking from the meter gives the music a very stylistic flowing and melodic sound.

The piano piece is in Tenary Form (A, B, A), because there is contrast and return. The theme is played in the beginning (A), and there are three sections (a b a’) “nested” within this first section of music, which seems to have the same style in pitch, rhythm, meter, and other stylistic qualities. After a strong cadence, the second section of the piece (B) begins, which also has nesting (c d c’). The piano seems to build up to a forte, or loud, dynamic as the notes are played quickly across the piano. The higher notes are then played on each beat to emphasize the rhythm. At the same time, the lower chords are played arpeggio, with each note being played on each beat. The left hand is also playing the same intervals between pitches as is being played in the right hand. The emphasis of the beat and same intervals pronounce the meter of the music. This section of the music ends with a fast sequence of high pitched notes, which leaves the music un-resolved.

After a cadence, the “A” section returns with a b a’ nesting. The theme is repeated just as it was played in the beginning. Now, the music gradually modulates to a major key. It ends with a beautiful sequence of notes being repeatedly played up and down on the piano. The music finally ends with a single chord. Charles Owen surely did justice to Fauré’s beautiful composition.