# Fauré: Piano Quintet no. 2 in C minor, Op.115



## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

I am not a great fan of piano quintets as I prefer piano quartets, piano trios, string quintets and string quartets, which I usually find more balanced than the piano quintet.

But this second Piano Quintet by Fauré really SOUNDS SO GOOD. The piano and strings blend together wonderfully! There is a great balance and for once the different tuning systems do not bother at all.

This is a new work for me and I am pleasantly surprised. What do you think of the work?


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Like you, Waehman, I'm not usually a big fan of piano trios/quartets/quintets (but I do have quite a few and have started to appreciate them much more over the past few years). However, I really like both of Faure's piano quintets after getting hooked on the 1st one when it was used as incidental music on a programme I was watching on TV years ago. I remember using Soundhound to find out what it was and then I purchased the Domus recording on fleabay for a few quid, straight away. I think the thing that I enjoy about Faure's Soundworld in these quintets is that within these ethereal, calm pieces there's great expressive warmth, touches of sadness, wit and joy. Like his string quartet, the piano quintets have a beautiful dreamlike quality that is not easy to describe but is deeply pleasing.


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## SearsPoncho (Sep 23, 2020)

I love piano quintets, particularly Faure's two; unfortunately, there's isn't a boatload of great piano quintets. I would put both of Faure's piano quintets at or near the top of my favorite chamber works for piano and strings. The opening movements of both contain the most ravishing music I've heard this side of Ravel and Martinu's symphonies (perhaps Rimsky-Korsakov's Scherezade deserves an honorable mention in the ravishing music category). I have the great recording of Domus on Hyperion.


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## dko22 (Jun 22, 2021)

for a long time, this has been my absolute favourite chamber work in any form, despite the relatively lightweight finale. The emotional argument and cathartic resolution of the second movement is one of the most perfect things in all music and has greatly influenced my own chamber compositions. Even if he'd written nothing else, this work for me assures Faure's immortality. I have remained loyal to the Collard/Parrenin recording -- I'm less keen on the Domus.


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## golfer72 (Jan 27, 2018)

SearsPoncho said:


> I love piano quintets, particularly Faure's two; unfortunately, there's isn't a boatload of great piano quintets. I would put both of Faure's piano quintets at or near the top of my favorite chamber works for piano and strings. The opening movements of both contain the most ravishing music I've heard this side of Ravel and Martinu's symphonies (perhaps Rimsky-Korsakov's Scherezade deserves an honorable mention in the ravishing music category). I have the great recording of Domus on Hyperion.


I like the Bax Piano Quintet fwiw. Not sure if you have ever heard it


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## Allegro Con Brio (Jan 3, 2020)

Fauré is second only to Brahms as a chamber composer in my estimation. Endlessly poetic, heady, elegant, luxurious music. There is always great economy in his works as well; nothing is spun out for too long nor underdeveloped. I’ll have to give this one another spin tomorrow as I usually focus on the piano quartets and cello sonatas.


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## MusicInTheAir (Apr 21, 2007)

Waehnen said:


> I am not a great fan of piano quintets as I prefer piano quartets, piano trios, string quintets and string quartets, which I usually find more balanced than the piano quintet.
> 
> But this second Piano Quintet by Fauré really SOUNDS SO GOOD. The piano and strings blend together wonderfully! There is a great balance and for once the different tuning systems do not bother at all.
> 
> This is a new work for me and I am pleasantly surprised. What do you think of the work?


I don't think there's one chamber work of Faure's that I don't like a lot. There's a sad and dreamy quality to so much of it. You hear it in his songs too. If you aren't familiar with his late Piano Trio, I'd recommend that too.


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