Dolly, Original Version for Piano Duet:
Fauré would have been delighted to know that this edition corrects the misguided feline associations in the titles for the second and fourth of these pieces. ‘Mi-a-ou’ should always have been known as ‘Messieu Auol’ (reflecting an infant pronunciation of the eponymous Dolly’s older brother, Raoul), and ‘Kitty-Valse’ should have been ‘Ketty-Valse’, inspired ironically not by a cat but by the family dog!For such a cornerstone of the repertoire, Roy Howat – who personally knew Dolly Bardac, the suite’s dedicatee – finds a surprisingly high number of source discrepancies to evaluate in the comprehensive critical commentary, including an indication that Fauré conceived the famous opening ‘Berceuse’ at a more flowing tempo than has become habitual over the decades. Based on his intimate knowledge of Fauré, he also urges the performers to keep rubato to a minimum, and keep the pedalling light.