Noctave
The piece
Tchaikovsky dedicated his Album for the Young, Op. 39, to his nephew Vladimir Davydov. Among its scenes from a child's day he slips in a little tour of Europe in song: an Italian song, a German one, a Neapolitan one and this old French song in G minor. The tune, simple and a little wistful, unfolds over a bass that holds the same note for several bars.
The melody must be fully legato, over two unhurried beats (Moderato assai). The challenge lies in the left hand, which has two jobs at once: it holds a low G tied from bar to bar and moves a second voice above it. Hold that G with your finger, not just with the pedal, so the inner voice stays clear. In the middle section the accompaniment changes character and becomes a string of detached eighth-note arpeggios rising from the bass; keep them discreet under the tune. The moderate tempo is not a trap in itself: it all comes down to an even melody and well-held bass notes.