“La lune blanche”

Reynaldo Hahn’s “L’heure exquise” is one of the most frequently performed French melodies, encapsulating the beauty and simplicity of Verlaine’s poem “La lune blanche.” This article suggests a comparative study of songs by other composers who set the Verlaine text, including Massenet, Poldowski, Stravinsky, and Szulc, as an excellent collection for recital programs, as well as a useful pedagogic tool for the study of French mélodies.