Nouvelle Vague (2026)
four songs by Michel Legrand
arranged for SSATB choir and piano
Text: Jacques Demy (1931-1990), Jean-Luc Godard (1930-2022) & Agnès Varda (1928-2019)
Duration: 13 minutes
Difficulty: 2/4
Available through Sheet Music Plus and Sheet Music Direct:
Over the past few years, I’ve started getting deeper into cinema, especially exploring foreign films from decades past. I was immediately drawn to the stylish and inventive work of the Nouvelle Vague (New Wave), which radically transformed French cinema in the late 1950s and ‘60s. As I watched more of these films, I began to notice recurring names – such as composer Michel Legrand, whose jazzy musical scores and gorgeous melodies formed an integral part of so many French New Wave films.
This piece, Nouvelle Vague, is an arrangement of four songs for SSATB choir and piano, all drawn from seminal French New Wave films. The songs may be performed individually or together as a set.
Récit de Cassard (Cassard’s Story) is a charming and jazzy love song from Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg), directed by Jacques Demy in 1964. The song tells of a disillusioned man who experiences love at first sight when meeting the main character, Geneviève. My arrangement features fun, jazzy harmonies with a variety of choral textures.
Chanson d’Angela (Angela’s Song) is an upbeat and playful swing tune from Une femme est une femme (A Woman is a Woman), directed by Jean-Luc Godard in 1961. The song is sung by a young dancer who explains why men are all drawn to her: she’s beautiful. This SSA arrangement features constantly changing voicings over a repeating chord progression, interspersed with jazzy piano interludes.
Sans toi (Without You) is a deeply emotional and melancholy song from the seminal 1962 film Cléo de 5 à 7 (Cleo from 5 to 7), directed by Agnès Varda. In the film, Cléo is awaiting a doctor’s appointment which will confirm whether she has cancer, and the poetic lyrics of this song reflect her fear and loneliness as she faces an unknown future. This arrangement features dramatic, soaring harmonies and an excellent feature for the alto section.
Chanson d'un jour d'été (Song of a Summer Day) is a bright and jazzy song from the 1967 musical Les Demoiselles de Rochefort (The Young Girls of Rochefort), also directed by Jacques Demy. Set as an upbeat waltz, the lyrics are about finding joy in life by loving the world around us. My arrangement features fun harmonies and a memorable melody that passes between voices, which culminates in a brash, show-stopping finale.
Click here to see the complete score.
Live recording currently unavailable. MIDI available on request.
Full Text
CASSARD’S STORY
Translation by the composer
I loved a woman once
She didn’t love me
They used to call her Lola
Disappointed, I wanted to forget her
So I left France
I went around the world
But life
Seemed so unappealing to me
And then, by chance
I crossed paths with you
As soon as I saw Geneviève
I knew I had been waiting for her
Ever since that meeting
My life has taken a new direction
At all times, it’s her that I see!
I live only for her!
I think only about her!
I wanted to speak to you candidly
You won’t hold it against me, will you?
Of course, it’s not a question of
Influencing Geneviève
Geneviève is free
RÉCIT DE CASSARD
Text by Jacques Demy
Autrefois, j’ai aimé une femme
Elle ne m’aimait pas
On l’appelait Lola, autrefois
Déçu, j’ai voulu l’oublier
Alors j’ai quitté la France
Je suis allé au bout du monde
Mais la vie
Me paraissait sans attrait
Et puis, le hasard
M’a mis sur votre route
Dès que j’ai vu Geneviève
J’ai su que je l’attendais
Depuis cette rencontre
Ma vie a pris un autre sens
À tout instant c’est elle que je vois!
Je ne vis que pour elle!
Je ne pense plus qu’à elle!
J’ai voulu vous parler franchement
Vous ne m’en voudrez pas?
Il n’est bien sûr pas question
D’influencer Geneviève
Geneviève est libre
ANGELA’S SONG
Translation by the composer
You wonder why
Everyone is crazy about me
It’s not complicated
That’s the truth
I’ve got lovely, fine hair
Amethyst eyes
A tiny sailor’s collar
And a cotton dress
I hate it when
They wake me up too early
But I love it when
They caress my back
I always say “yes”
When they say to me, “Come here, darling”
Because with boys
You must never make a fuss
I’m no saint
I’m very cruel
But no man gets angry
Because I am very beautiful
CHANSON D’ANGELA
Text by Jean-Luc Godard
On se demande pourquoi
Tout le monde est fou de moi
Ce n′est pas compliqué
Voilà la vérité
J'ai de beaux cheveux fins
Des yeux d′améthyste
Un tout petit col marin
Et une robe en batiste
Je détèste quand
On me réveille trop tôt
Mais j'adore quand
On me caresse dans le dos
Moi je dis toujours « oui »
Quand on me dit « viens chérie »
Car avec les garçons
Faut jamais faire de façons
Je ne suis pas sage
Je suis très cruelle
Mais aucun homme n'enrage
Parce que je suis très belle
WITHOUT YOU
Translation by the composer
All the doors are open
To the outdoor draught
I am an empty house
Without you, without you
Like a desert island
Reclaimed by the sea
My shores unravel
Without you, without you
Beauty, entirely wasted
Naked in the heart of winter
I am a yearning body
Without you, without you
Eroded by melancholy
Dead, in a glass coffin
I am covered with wrinkles
Without you, without you
And if you come too late
They will have buried me
Alone, ugly and pale
Without you, without you
Without you
SANS TOI
Text by Agnés Varda
Toutes portes ouvertes
En plein courant d'air
Je suis une maison vide
Sans toi, sans toi
Comme une île déserte
Que recouvre la mer
Mes plages se dévident
Sans toi, sans toi
Belle, en pure perte
Nue au cœur de l'hiver
Je suis un corps avide
Sans toi, sans toi
Rongée par le cafard
Morte, au cercueil de verre
Je me couvre de rides
Sans toi, sans toi
Et si tu viens trop tard
On m'aura mise en terre
Seule, laide et livide
Sans toi, sans toi
Sans toi
SONG OF A SUMMER DAY
Translation by the composer
When summer has faded
When time has slipped away
Gone the way of the seasons, dead seasons
All we can do is sigh
Longing for summer
But to relive a summer’s day
When winter has settled in
And your heart has grown cold
You must love
Love life, love flowers,
Love laughter and tears,
Love the day, love the night,
Love the sun and the rain,
Love winter, love the wind,
Love towns and fields,
Love the sea, love fire,
Love the earth to be happy
When love has faded
When the heart has gone
Laid out on the side of ‘never, never again’
All we can do is regret
The love that flew away
But to bring love back to life
If your empty heart feels too heavy
If boredom threatens your days
You must love
Love life, love flowers...
In the face of joy rediscovered
When the heart has settled
Laid out on the side of true love
Every day is a summer
The most beautiful summer
And in the face of joy rediscovered
In the face of summer reborn
In the face of wondrous love
We must sing
Sing of life, sing of flowers...
CHANSON D’UN JOUR D’ÉTÉ
Text by Jacques Demy
Quand l’été a disparu
Quand le temps s’en est allé
Est allé du côté des saisons, mortes saisons
On ne peut que soupirer
Regretter l’été
Mais pour revivre un jour d’été
Lorsque l’hiver s’est installé
Et que votre cœur s’est glacé
Il faut aimer
Aimer la vie, aimer les fleurs,
Aimer les rires et les pleurs,
Aimer le jour, aimer la nuit,
Aimer le soleil et la pluie,
Aimer l’hiver, aimer le vent,
Aimer les villes et les champs,
Aimer la mer, aimer le feu,
Aimer la terre pour être heureux
Quand l’amour a disparu
Quand le cœur s’en est allé
Étalé du côté des jamais, plus jamais
On ne peut que regretter
L’amour envolé
Mais pour ressusciter l’amour
Si votre cœur vide est trop lourd
Si l’ennui menace vos jours
Il faut aimer
Aimer la vie, aimer les fleurs...
Devant la joie retrouvée
Quand le cœur s’est installé
Étalé du côté du grand amour
Chaque jour est un été
Le plus bel été
Et devant la joie retrouvée
Devant l’été recommencé
Devant l’amour émerveillé
Il faut chanter
Chanter la vie, chanter les fleurs...