[2] The Fantaisie was dedicated to Alfred Cortot, who had asked Fauré as far back as 1902 to write a concertante work for him.

The first, unofficial, performance was given at a Fauré festival in Monte Carlo on 12 April 1919 by Marguerite Hasselmans [de] with Léon Jehin conducting.

[2] Cortot later wrote an article in which he expressed his reservations about the work, in particular the "lack of brilliance" in the solo part and the "shortage of contrasts" between it and the orchestra.

[2] Though a romantic work, the Fantaisie is scored for a rather modestly sized orchestra of two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, timpani, harp, strings, and solo piano.

The strings are used almost throughout to accompany the piano but the woodwind are often treated as soloists"[2] The work consists of three interconnected movements, played without interruption: