Berceuse, Op. 16

About this piece

Fauré wrote this D-major lullaby, dedicated to his friend Hélène Depret, in about 1879, primarily for muted violin and piano. Hamelle's first edition is titled 'Berceuse pour Violon (ou Violoncelle) et Piano', so the cello was offered as an option from the start. The violinist Ovide Musin gave the premiere with the composer at the piano at the Société Nationale de Musique on 14 February 1880, and Fauré's orchestral version followed that April. Nectoux notes that Fauré 'attached no importance to this conventional little piece', yet it became so popular that it drew the publisher Julien Hamelle, who went on to publish Fauré's music for more than twenty years. Over a rocking 6/8 accompaniment the soloist plays a simple, arching tune, marked Allegretto moderato and con sordino. For cellists, Schott publishes an edition by Maria Kliegel (CB 217), and the Hamelle first edition and a free cello transcription by Jean-Pierre Coulon are on IMSLP. Cello recordings include Pierre Fournier and Steven Isserlis.

Technical overview

A single Allegretto moderato movement of 112 bars, about 3½ minutes. The cellist plays muted throughout and needs a singing legato with two- and three-note slurs in 6/8, shifts that climb high in bass and tenor clef in the middle section, and quiet dynamic control from ppp to mf with frequent hairpins.

Technical focus

• Legato
• Shifting
• Dynamics
• Hairpin Dynamics
• 2 Note Slurs
• 3 Note Slurs
• Tenor Clef
• Mute usage