David Solomons

Composer

David W Solomons

Lyricist

Paul Verlaine

Publisher

David W Solomons

Genre

Classical / Song

Instrumentation

Acoustic guitar, Voice

Scored for

Solo

Type of score

Score for two performers, Lead sheet

Duration

2'20"

Language

French

Difficulty

Easy

Year of composition

1976

Description
This simple setting of Paul Verlaine's poem "Nevermore" plays on an ambiguity of major and minor modes, swaying back and forth between the tonal centres of C minor and A flat major (or equivalents depending on the transposition).
It is available in various versions.
The original is in C minor (tenor or alto) and this has the guitar part notated in classical fashion as well as chord names.
Other keys are available (E minor, A minor and G minor), but these just have the vocal part and chord names.
If required, the guitarist can also interpret the chords in different ways from the notated version (finger picking, strumming etc).
The sound sample is an electronic preview with the voice represented by a clarinet sound.

The poem is as follows:

The Poem by Verlaine:/Le poème de Verlaine:

Nevermore

Souvenir, souvenir, que me veux-tu? L'automne
Faisait voler la grive à travers l'air atone,
Et le soleil dardait un rayon monotone
Sur le bois jaunissant où la bise détone.

Nous étions seul à seule et marchions en rêvant,
Elle et moi, les cheveux et la pensée au vent.
Soudain, tournant vers moi son regard émouvant :
"Quel fut ton plus beau jour?" fit sa voix d'or vivant,

Sa voix douce et sonore, au frais timbre angélique.
Un sourire discret lui donna la réplique,
Et je baisai sa main blanche, dévotement.

-- Ah! les premières fleurs, qu'elles sont parfumées !
Et qu'il bruit avec un murmure charmant
Le premier oui qui sort de lèvres bien-aimées !

Upload date

10 Aug 2012