Analysis of the Creative Styles of Gabriel Fauré's Art Songs in Different Periods

The rise of French art songs mainly occurred from the middle of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, and its roots can be traced back to the French musical form of "Romance". This kind of song is renowned for its restrained, refined, and elegant musical style, demonstrating the profound cultural heritage of the French nation and the unique characteristics of salon culture. At the same time, it has a close connection with literary works. In this field, Fauré is an outstanding representative. His musical creative career lasted for sixty-five years, during which he composed more than a hundred art songs. Fauré's lofty status in the history of French music is closely related to his art song compositions. This article aims to sort out the development process of French art songs, briefly introduce Fauré's life, and deeply explore the characteristics of his art song creation in three stages, so as to summarize the characteristics of his art songs in different stages.