doux et mystérieux

Soft and mysterious. A characteristic marking in Fauré's later piano works calling for an inward, veiled quality — not quiet for lack of expression, but hushed by intention.

Achieve this by keeping the tone uniform and slightly submerged, avoiding any note that protrudes. The pedal should blend rather than blur. Think of the sound as coming from inside the keyboard rather than from the surface. The listener should feel they are overhearing something private.