"Nevermore" for violin and guitar (inspired by the poem by Paul Verlaine) by David Warin Solomons String Duet - Digital Sheet Music

SKU: A0.1563964

This instrumental arrangement of my vocal setting of Paul Verlaine's poem "Nevermore" plays on an ambiguity of major and minor modes, swaying back and forth between the tonal centres.

The pdf contains score and parts
The sound sample is an electronic preview.

The chord names are provided over the melody instrument in case the guitarist would like to follow the melody instrument and play in a different manner from the notated part (eg strumming).

The poem and my father's English version are 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.
Suddenly 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.