Chant Funéraire
Gabriel Fauré (orch. Myron Moss)
The title translates from the French as "funeral song." It bears the designation Opus 117.
General Info
Year: 1921 / 2004
Duration: c. 7:20
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation
Cost: Score and Parts - $75.00 | Score Only - $7.50
Instrumentation
Full Score
Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II-III
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II, including:
- Bass Drum
- Crash Cymbal
- Glockenspiel
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
Fauré wrote Chant Funéraire ("Funeral Song") in 1921 on a commission from the French government to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Napoleon‘s death. He wrote the piece when he was 75 years old, after having retired from the Paris Conservatory. During this time, Fauré was very ill, and as a result he did not orchestrate the Chant Funeraire. Guillaume Balay originally orchestrated Chant Funéraire for band. and it was he who conducted the premiere performance with the Gardé Republicaine Band (arguably the best wind band of its time). Then, in 2003, Myron “Mike” Moss created a new orchestration, in which he writes:
Balay’s orchestration offers the power and grandeur called for by the Gardé Republicaine, but it is weighed down by the band music conventions of its time. The scoring is thick throughout (a phenomenon found nowhere in Fauré’s own orchestrations), the score’s quiet moments are especially over-instrumented, and Fauré’s clean and sonorous voice leading is often obscured through inconsistent octave doublings. The present orchestration emulates the transparent and clear scoring of Fauré’s own style.
- Program Note from University of Georgia Hodgson Wind Symphony concert program, 8 November 2016
Media
- Audio CD: Flower Mound High School Wind Symphony (Kevin Sedatole, conductor) – 2003
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Washburn University (Topeka, Kan.) Wind Ensemble (J. Thomas Seddon IV, conductor) – 30 March 2022 (CBDNA 2022 Southwestern Conference, Waco, Tx.)
- Washburn University (Topeka, Kan.) Wind Ensemble (J. Thomas Seddon IV, conductor) - 27 February 2022
- Missouri University of Science and Technology (Rolla) Symphonic Band (David Samson, conductor) – 17 February 2019
- Illinois State University Symphonic Winds (Zachary A. Taylor, conductor) - 15 February 2019
- Philadelphia (Penn.) Wind Symphony (Paul Bryan, conductor) – 12 May 2018
- Indiana State University Wind Symphony (Nikk Pilato, conductor) - 5 April 2018
- University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) Concert Band (Courtney Snyder, conductor) – 8 February 2017
- University of Georgia (Athens) Hodgson Wind Symphony (Jaclyn Hartenberger, conductor) – 8 November 2016
- Lee University (Cleveland, Tenn.) Wind Ensemble (David Holsinger, conductor) – 16 March 2016
- Cuesta Wind Ensemble (Jennifer Martin, conductor) - 18 May 2011
- 2010 CBDNA Intercollegiate Band (Reno, Nev.) (Thomas C. Duffy, conductor) – 13 March 2010 (CBDNA 2010 Western/Northwestern Division Conference (Reno, Nev.)
- Flower Mound (Tx.) High School Wind Symphony (Kevin Sedatole, conductor) – 19 December 2003 (2003 Midwest Clinic)
Works for Winds by This Composer
- Apres un Reve
- Cantique de Jean Racine (arr. Musgrave) (1865/2009)
- Cantique de Jean Racine (arr. Suzuki) (1865/2000)
- Chant Funéraire (orch. Moss) (1921/2004)
- Dolly Op 56 (arr. Matsushiro) (1894-1897)
- Dolly Suite (set. Woodley) (1894-1897/<2013)
- Fantasie (tr. Hudson) (1898/)
- Fantasie for Flute and Thirteen Winds (arr. LaBauve) (1898/)
- Pavane (arr. Brand) (1887/1999)
- Pavane (arr. Gardner) (1887)
- Pavane (arr. Hannah) (1887/)
- Pavane in G minor (arr. Dunnigan) (1887/2020)
- Pavane, Op. 50 (arr. Clark) (1887/1999)
- Pelleas et Melisande
- Pie Jesu (arr. Friedman) (1887-1890/1977)
- Pie Jesu (arr. Grevenbroek) (1887-1890/2012)
- Pie Jesu (arr. Lloyd Webber and Sudduth) (1887-1890/1990)
- Sicilienne (arr. Clark) (1893/1898/2009)
- Tuscan Serenade (arr. Grainger) (1865/1937/1994)
Resources
- Moss, Myron. "Chant funéraire." In Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 6, edit. & comp. by Richard Miles, 468-475. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2007.