Gabriel Fauré's Pavane Op. 50, is an elegant and refined work that perfectly illustrates both the composer's musical style and his dreamy and deeply charming personality.

Written in 1887, this work borrows its name from an ancient Renaissance dance, but Fauré offers a gentle and melancholic interpretation rather than a solemn one. Only the second theme, with its more severe tone, contrasts with the simple, melodious main melody, which unfolds with great fluidity, supported by light and transparent orchestration for small orchestra (two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, and strings).
The atmosphere is noble and nostalgic, giving the impression of recalling an ancient and somewhat faded memory.

The work is dedicated to Vicomtesse Élisabeth Greffulhe, an emblematic figure of Parisian high society, renowned for her great beauty, elegance, and airy gait. Fauré saw her as a true source of inspiration and affectionately nicknamed her “Madame ma Fée” (My Fairy).
The Pavane can thus be considered a true musical portrait of the countess.

On her advice, Fauré subsequently asked the poet Robert de Montesquiou-Fezensac, the countess's cousin and an admirer of Verlaine, for a text. He then adapted his work for a mixed choir (sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses), with the aim of renewing the Verlaine spirit already present in Les Fêtes galantes.

The version with choir was premiered on April 28, 1888, during a concert by the Société nationale de musique.
The purely orchestral version was premiered on November 25, 1888, by the Concerts Lamoureux, conducted by Charles Lamoureux.
Finally, following the success of the work, numerous adaptations were made, including a reduction for solo piano.

Finally, it should be noted that Fauré's Pavane had a notable influence on Maurice Ravel, then a student of the composer at the Paris Conservatory, and directly inspired his own Pavane pour une infante défunte.

Along his university studies (DEA in musicology, University of Paris IV-Sorbonne), Frédéric Cellier was awarded three first prizes and a development prize at the CNR of Nice and won first prize at the International Competition of Musical Execution - soloist category – of Stresa (Italy).

He is the laureate of the Fondation de France and the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation and accredited teacher at the CNR of Nice, the CNR of Marseille, and at the CRR Olivier Messiaen of Avignon (France).

Frédéric Cellier is the interpreter of Francis Poulenc’s Sonata for clarinet Bb and piano with Jean-Michel Damase, Jean Françaix or Gabriel Tacchino, as well as his own arrangements for clarinet and harp of Erik Satie's Gymnopédies and Gnossiennes with the great French harpist Elizabeth Fontan-Binoche, and for clarinet, piano, and string orchestra of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in blue for Wynton Marsalis or under the baton of Adrian Gershwin, grandson of the composer.

Founder and artistic director of STRADIVARIUS Editions, he is the author of light music pieces played around the world and a considerable number of arrangements of all styles and for all instruments, acclaimed by many personalities in the music world, including Michèle Auric, Jean Françaix, Adrian Gershwin, Wynton Marsalis, Yehudi Menuhin, Madeleine Milhaud, Manuel Rosenthal, Gabriel Tacchino, and Ornella Volta.

"Frédéric Cellier has produced a number of adaptations of Georges Auric's works with such talent and precision that I consider them a natural addition to his chamber music catalogue."
Michèle AURIC - Georges Auric's widow

"To Frédéric Cellier, excellent musician and tireless arranger."
Jean FRANÇAIX - Composer and pianist

"Arranging a musical work is always a delicate and risky exercise, because it requires both modifying it so that it can be played by the desired instruments and preserving its very essence. But that is exactly what Frédéric Cellier has done, preserving the nuances, subtleties and soul of the original works while breathing new life into them.
His arrangements give all the musicians the chance to perform these compositions specially revisited for their instrument, and make music lovers rediscover them in a new light."
Adrian GERSHWIN - George Gershwin’s grandson

"Congratulations for your beautiful new orchestration and rendition of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in blue."
Wynton MARSALIS - Trumpet player, composer, bandleader, general and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York

"It is outstanding that Frédéric Cellier has managed to transpose Saxophone Marmalade from the saxophone to the clarinet. I thank him for it and wish its great and deserved success. "
Manuel ROSENTHAL - Conductor, composer and Maurice Ravel’s pupil

"I am very happy to tell you how much I appreciated your transcription of the Capriccio, based on Francis Poulenc's Le Bal Masqué. It perfectly reflects the spirit and verve of the score for two pianos that I had the opportunity to play and record with Jacques Février, and it was a great pleasure for me to premiere it in Montpellier."
Gabriel TACCHINO - Pianist, Francis Poulenc’s specialist

"I must tell you that I really like your transcriptions and that I think the tone of the instruments you have chosen suits perfectly our beloved composer."
Ornella VOLTA - Musicologist, president of the Erik Satie’s Foundation