Le Bourgeois gentilhomme
As he often did, Fauré reused music written for incomplete or unsuccessful works. A sicilienne from his unfinished 1893 score for "Le Bourgeois gentilhomme" was the most substantial piece retrieved for "Pelléas et Mélisande". Pressed for time, and never greatly interested in orchestrating, Fauré enlisted the help of his pupil Charles Koechlin, who accompanied him to London. The complete incidental music comprised 19 pieces (2 are missing) of varying length and importance.