Ex. 10-9: Clair de Lune

Composed in 1887 (Op. 46 No. 2) to the poem "Clair de lune" by Paul Verlaine, from his collection Fêtes galantes (1869). Dedicated to the painter Emmanuel Jadin. Premiered in orchestral version on 28 April 1888 at the Société nationale de musique, with tenor Maurice Bàges.

This song marks the first meeting of Fauré and Verlaine's poetry. The introduction came from Count Robert de Montesquiou, who introduced Fauré to Verlaine's poetry. The Princesse de Polignac then encouraged Fauré to create an orchestral version, which was later incorporated into his incidental music Masques et bergamasques (1919).

The same Verlaine poem also inspired Debussy — who set it as a song in 1882 (Ex. 13-5: Clair de lune by Claude Debussy), wrote his famous piano piece inspired by it in 1891, and set it again in 1892 as part of his Fêtes galantes. (Ex. 11-7: Clair de lune by Claude Debussy)