A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Rousseau's Dream

ROUSSEAU'S DREAM. A very favourite air in England in the early part of this century. Its first appearance under that name is presumably as 'an Air with Variations for the Pianoforte, composed and dedicated to the Rt. Hon. the Countess of Delaware, by J. B. Cramer. London, Chappell' [1812].

$\relative a' { \key f \major \time 4/4 a4 a8. g16 f4 f | g g a f8 r | c'4 c8. bes16 a4 a | \acciaccatura a8 g8. f16 g8. a16 a2*3/4\fermata_\markup \small \italic "Fine." r8 \bar "||" a4 a8. bes16 c4 c | d d8. bes16 c4 a8 r | a4 a8. bes16 c4 c | d f8. d16 c2\fermata \bar "||" }$

But it is found (with very slight changes) a quarter of a century earlier, under the title of 'Melissa. The words by Charles James, Esq., adapted to the Pianoforte, Harp, or Guitar. London, J. Dale, 1788.' Whether the air is Rousseau's or not the writer has not ascertained. It is not in his 'Les Consolations,' etc. (Paris, 1781).

[ G. ]

App. p.776:

For the last two sentences of the article read as follows:—The melody occurs in the 'Pantomime' in Scene 8 of the 'Devin du Village,' where its form is as follows:—

$\relative b' { \key g \major \override Score.BarNumber #'break-visibility = #'#(#f #f #f) \override Staff.TimeSignature.style = #'single-digit \time 2/2 \partial 2 \repeat volta 2 { b4.( c16) a | g4 g a8_(^\prall g a) c | b4 a b4.( c16) a | g4 g a8^\prall g a b | g2 } \repeat volta 2 { b8^\prall a_( b c) | d4 d d e8 c | d2 } \repeat votal 2 { g,8( fis) g( fis) | e4 d e( d) e( fis) | d2 } s4_"etc." }$

The origin of the title 'Dream' is not forthcoming.

[ M. ]