Often called the father of the modern French school of flute playing, Paul Taffanel (1844-1908) taught at the Paris Conservatoire from 1893. When his friend, Fauré, was appointed professor of composition there in October 1896 it was natural that Taffanel should turn to him for a concours composition—a brilliant virtuoso number which Fauré worked over with slavish care and titled Fantaisie, Op. 79—and a brief sight-reading piece, properly titled Morceau de lecture. The latter, composed in July 1898, is a mere arabesque dutifully spun out in the requisite scales, arpeggios, grace notes, and mordents, the apt execution of which demonstrates proficiency. Over a spare piano accompaniment, this functional exercise plays out slowly for a minute-and-a-half with only the faintest redolence of the fauréenne.

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