Numbering more than 100 in total, and composed across a 60-year period, Gabriel Fauré’s songs form the single most substantial and influential contribution to the field of French art song. Despite their importance, the songs have long been riddled with misprints and inconsistencies. This first complete critical edition is based on study of hundreds of manuscript and printed sources, along with evidence and interpretative advice from artists who worked with Fauré. Above all, it is a practical edition, informed by extensive work with musicians in performance, masterclasses and workshops. The 34 songs in this first volume encompass many of Fauré’s best known and most loved songs, including Après un rêve, Le Papillon et la fleur and Les Berceaux.