Abstract
French art song has seen the development of a number of distinguished composers. Faure was one of the most influential and representative of them. Most of his works are based on Impressionist poetry, with simple melodies and the pursuit of a combination of poetry and music. As a representative work by Fauré, Clair de Lune, aka Moonlight, has taken on an increasingly important place in singing and teaching. However, the song's tonal variety and emotional delicacy are difficult to grasp. This paper explores the interpretation and performance of Faure's classic impressionistic work Moonlight. We first investigate the influence of its musical style. Then we discuss the poetic elements of the French lyrics, from the perspective of singing style. Also, the essential singing elements are systematically analyzed. By analyzing the music and the literature, we demonstrate the musical features, the poetic elements of the songs, the music style and the interpretation of the French lyrics. Finally, combining with our own learning and practical experience, we explained the songs' singing skill in terms of language, breath and emotion. The detailed analysis helps singers understand the connotations of the songs, master the singing techniques and improve their second compositions.
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