mélodie intérieure
French composer
Definition
Inner melody. Fauré frequently hides the most expressive melodic line inside the texture — in an inner voice or in the left hand — while the outer voices move more neutrally.
Interpretive Guidance
Hunt for the mélodie intérieure before practising. In works like the Nocturne No. 6 and the Thème et Variations, the most important line may be in the tenor or alto register. Once found, bring it out with slightly deeper key contact while keeping the surrounding voices lighter. The listener should gradually become aware of it, as if discovering it themselves.