Gounod, Charles-François. (1818–1893)

"Oh! That We Two Were Maying" - Signed and Inscribed to Marianne Viardot

London: Duff & Stewart. 1871. "Oh! that we two were maying. Song, the poetry by The Revd Charles Kingsley ... with ad lib. accompaniment for harmonium & viola. In F." Upright folio. 7 pp. [PN] 3328. Signed and inscribed at the head of the title page: "A mon petite amie Marianne Viardot. Ch. Gounod / Lundi 12 Juillet / 75." Scattered foxing, chipped and with small tears around edges, most pages separated at spine and with a printed dedication at the head which has rather thoroughly been crossed out in the same ink as the composer's inscription.

When the Franco-German War broke out, Gounod was compelled to take refuge in London. During his stay there, he composed a great deal and wrote a number of songs to English words, many of which have attained an enduring popularity. The present song, perhaps the most famous of this period, is inscribed to the daughter of Pauline Viardot. Marianne, 21 years old at the time of this inscription, would later be briefly engaged to marry Gabriel Fauré and eventually later married the minor composer and pianist Victor- Alphonse Duvernoy. (6789)

Signed Document/Item Opera