Fauré’s Morceau (1898) is a little gem written as a test piece for the flute while the composer was director at the Paris Conservatoire. It formed part of a subtle campaign on his part to move the conservatoire away from placing what he viewed as too much emphasis on pure virtuosity. His wish was for an appreciation that included aspects such as style, rhythm and phrasing; in other words, musical expression. His love of melody is clearly on display here as the Morceau arabesques its way beautifully through its three-minute duration. The manuscript is dated 14 July 1898 so perhaps Fauré was taking advantage of his day off on Bastille Day.
