Gabriel Fauré published his 3 Romances withouth words (romances sans paroles) in 1878, though they were written about fifteen years earlier. They became some of his most popular works at once, even if they were condemned by some contemporary critics. The third and final piece of the set, in A♭ major, is a serene andante, with a flowing tune in the Mendelssohnian style. After gentle variation, it equally gently fades to silence at the end.
