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 poem is as follows:
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 !
English translation by S N Solomons:
Memory, what would you have of me? Autumn
Drove the thrush up through the atonic air
And the pale sun pierced in monotone
The chill and windy woods and the leaf flare.
Together but alone we went our ways,
Hair blown awry and monad thoughts unfurled.
Sudden she turned to me her tender gaze:
“What was your finest day?” – a voice of gold,
Dulcet and low, ineffable and fresh.
And I said nothing, offered her a smile,
Seized her pale hand and pressed a kiss.
Ah those first flowers of spring how sweet they were,
And that first whispered “Yes”, how it beguiled,
Won from those lovely lips with gentle murmur.
(c) S N Solomons
Performed by:
Bernadett Nagy (alto)
András Csáki (guitar)