Poet: Victor Hugo (1802-1885)
Source: Quatre Chansons Françaises
Date of Composition: 1928 (Jun. 17 – Aug. 21)
Publication: Faber Music, 1982
Voice Difficulty Level: Moderate
Subject: Joyful innocence of a young child while his mother lay dying.
Range: E4 - G#5
Tessitura: F4 - E5
Tempo: Animato; C
Duration: 4:15
Vocal Characteristics: Short phrases; moving vocal lines; quintuplet; one sustained G#5
Piano Difficulty Level: Difficult
Accompaniment Characteristics: Orchestral reduction; reflects the differing characters of the story; constant moving triplets between hands; 8 ms. postlude
Additional Comments: Britten Thematic Catalog http://www.brittenproject.org/works/BTC587