Anthology of Selected Pieces
In a distinct break with all previous flute editions of the ‘Sicilienne’, Howat prioritises Fauré’s own short-score setting of the accompaniment (prepared for the orchestral performance of ‘Pelléas et Melisande’, from which the piece is derived). This reveals a lighter, less bass-orientated texture than Fauré later employed for his cello and piano transcription; as such, it blends very amenably with the airy timbre of the flute.Apart from the well-known ‘Fantaisie’, the only other original Fauré piece for flute and piano is the beautifully poised ‘Morceau de lecture’. It is therefore almost beyond belief that the latter was never published in an authentic form until the present edition, over 100 years after its composition.