Description

This sweet pastoral style song tells the story of a young man who has fallen in love with Zélie, who pledges his love to …her hoping for the promise of her love in return. If she says that she loves him, it would be a bright day for ever. Le Berger Fidèle is a charming song, dedicated to Rosalie Galté, and was arranged for voice and guitar by Joseph Meissonnier (1790-1855) which perhaps presupposes that it was probably written with piano accompaniment at an earlier stage. Performance Notes by Sarah Poole Written in a gentle lilting 6/8 folk-like style, the music creates a simple and romantic mood throughout. Dynamics are very much of a personal choice but as each verse is identical, be sure to create your own personal journey through the words of each verse. The arpeggio-like style vocal line should flow naturally, and be sung with a feeling of lightness, freedom and warmth, while maintaining a quiet hopefulness that love will be declared. Take care at bar 11 as the descending intervals are not quite what you expect! The phrases are quite short and can be sung in one breath but allow time to communicate the emotion and mood, and also colour the words without interrupting the rhythmic flow. We are delighted to include two versions of this song in this edition – one with guitar and one with piano accompaniment.