"As with all barcaroles, the origins of my Barcarolle (w 206) lie in the Venetian gondola or boatman's song. It is also of a calm character (Andantino sognante) and its dreamy 6/4 metre evokes the mood of a swaying boat trip in the canals of Venice. This composition was written in the context of my opera "Casanova - oder: Der reife Gesang", which accounts for the connection to the lagoon city. The French spelling of the title is due to my love of France. Even greater is my love for my wife Alexa...