Ex. 6-9: Nocturne

No. 2 of Fauré's Deux mélodies (Two Songs, Op. 43), composed in 1886. The poem is by Auguste de Villiers de l'Isle-Adam (1838–1889).

Villiers titled the poem "Éblouissement" (Dazzlement); Fauré gave the song the calmer title "Nocturne." It begins "La nuit, sur le grand mystère, entr'ouvre ses écrins bleus" (Night, over the great mystery, half-opens its blue jewel-cases) — and says there are as many flowers on the earth as stars in the sky.

For most of the year, Fauré had little time to compose. He was kept busy as choirmaster at the Madeleine church in Paris and as a teacher, and did most of his composing during the summer holidays.

Fauré used the title "Nocturne" for three very different works: his thirteen piano nocturnes, a piece for string orchestra in his Shylock music, and this song.

From the album Jardin nocturne by Isabelle Druet and Johanne Ralambondrainy (2011)
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