Sheet Music: Morceau de Concours

TitleMorceau de Concours
Alternate titlesMorceau de lecture
ComposerGabriel Fauré (1845–1924)
InstrumentationFlute and Piano
KeyF major
RangeC4–F6
Time signature3/4
Tempo44 BPM
Performance time1:20
Difficulty levelintermediate
Download printable scorePDF Sheet Music (88 kB) (preview)
Download audio tracksMIDI (change tempo/key) MP3 (1.1 MB)
Play-along accompanimentMIDI (change tempo/key) MP3 (1.1 MB)
Date added2010-03-26
Last updated2010-03-26
Download popularity index☆☆☆☆☆ 8.4 (very popular)
Categories
Romantic, Written for Flute

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Friday 26 March 2010

Tune of the Day: Morceau de Concours

by Gabriel Fauré

Gabriel Fauré was appointed professor of composition at the Paris Conservatoire in 1896, and it was natural that the great flutist Paul Taffanel, who also taught there and was a great friend of his, should turn to him for a concours composition, which turned out to be the famous Fantaisie, Op. 79. For the same occasion Fauré also composed a brief sight-reading piece, properly titled “Morceau de lecture”, that would provide a good test of musicianship.

The latter, which according to some sources was composed on Bastille Day, July 14, 1898, is a mere arabesque dutifully spun out in the requisite scales, arpeggios and mordents, the apt execution of which demonstrates proficiency. This functional exercise plays out slowly over a spare piano accompaniment for about a minute and a half.