J’ai presque peur en vérité, a setting by Paul Verlaine, is the number five of the cycle ‘La bonne chanson, Op.61? composed by Gabriel Fauré between 1892 and 1893 (4/4 Allegro molto), and dedicated to Mme Sigismond Bardac.

Though light, the piano accompaniment provides an underlying pulse, lending the song a sense of propulsion; at the same time, the vocal line is appropriately dreamy and languid. While the vocal range is not especially demanding, the accompaniment provides little pitch support for the voice’s sometimes unusual intervals. When well performed, this richly expressive song is one of the most impressive and moving in the entire repertoire.

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