Fauré was a founding member of the Société Nationale de Musique, formed in February 1871 under the joint chairmanship of Romain Bussine and Saint-Saëns, to promote new French music.
Po francoskem porazu je Fauré pobegnil v Rambouillet, kjer je živel eden od njegovih bratov, nato pa odpotoval v Švico, kjer je prevzel poučevanje na "École Niedermeyer".