Ex. 2-6: Sérénade

No. 4 from Gounod's song collection "15 Mélodies enfantines," published in 1857. The text is from Victor Hugo's 1833 play "Marie Tudor" — in the play, a man sings this song from a distance while playing guitar.

The singer praises the beauty of a young lover sleeping in his arms: "Chantez, Riez, Dormez, ma belle, toujours!" (Sing, laugh, sleep, my beautiful one, forever!). The accompaniment imitates a mandolin, gently swaying in 6/8 time.

Track 18 from the album Arleen Auger Love Songs by Arleen Auger and Dalton Baldwin (1988)
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