Berceuse

Gabriel FauréOp.16

RomanticFamousberceuseE majorAndante moderato6/8~4 min
H5
Henle (estimated)
RCM 8ABRSM 7

About this piece

Gabriel Fauré's Berceuse is one of his most beloved works, originally written for violin and piano but transcribed effectively for the keyboard. It is celebrated for its ethereal, rocking motion and delicate, shifting harmonic palette.

Teacher notes

The performer must maintain a constant, steady 'rocking' left-hand ostinato while the right hand plays with expressive, vocal-like freedom.

Technical focus

cantabileleft-hand-independencepedalingrubato

Mood

serenetenderatmospheric

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Free sheet music on IMSLP

Pieces similar to Berceuse

Comparable difficulty and character — good candidates for what to learn next.

Browse all Henle level 5 pieces (Late intermediate) →

Frequently asked questions

How hard is Berceuse (Op.16) by Gabriel Fauré?

Berceuse (Op.16) is rated Henle level 5 of 9 — late intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 6–7. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 8.

What level do I need to play Berceuse?

You should be comfortable at Henle level 5 — meaning you can already play level 4–5 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.

How long is Berceuse?

A typical performance of Berceuse (Op.16) lasts about 4 minutes.

Where can I get free sheet music for Berceuse?

Berceuse (Op.16) is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.

What pieces are similar to Berceuse?

Pieces at a comparable difficulty and character include Berceuse from Dolly suite by Gabriel Fauré, Clair de lune by Claude Debussy, Berceuse - Cradle Song by Armas Järnefelt — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.