Gabriel Urbain Fauré was born on May 12, 1845, in Pamiers, a small town in the South of France. From a young age, he showed a natural affinity for music and began his musical education at the École Niedermeyer in Paris. There, Fauré honed his skills as a pianist and organist, quickly establishing himself as a talented musician. Fauré's formative years were influenced by the Romantic era, with composers like Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner leaving a lasting impression on his artistic sensibilities. However, it was his encounter with Johann Sebastian Bach's music that ignited Fauré's passion for composition and helped shape his unique style.