pédale discrète

Discreet pedal. Fauré's piano writing is marked by restrained, carefully placed pedalling that blends harmonies without obscuring inner voices or the clarity of the melodic line.

Change the pedal at the harmonic rhythm, not the melodic rhythm. In the barcarolles, the rocking bass can sustain across the beat, but clear the pedal at each new harmony. In the preludes, almost no pedal is needed — Fauré's texture is transparent by design and does not require artificial blending.