Faure wrote only three duets among his many compositions for voice and piano, this and "Puisqu'ici-bas toute ame," and "Tarantelle," both from his Opus 10. He did not use the two voices very differently from the way that he used a solo voice, except for a brief passage towards the end, and in fact, a listener unaware that the piece was originally scored for two voices would probably not notice anything unusual upon hearing it performed by a single singer taking either line. Nonetheless, there is an added richness of texture in the two voices when they sing together that emphasizes the liquid sensuality of the music. The harmonies are relatively close, further emphasizing this richness, as does the slow tempo.

The piano opens the piece with a repeated descending two-note phrase that clearly paints the image of tears, one which is frequently repeated throughout. The two voices alternate at first, joining at the line "larmes des cloches," singing together throughout the rest of the piece. There are various crescendi and decrescendi, but maintaining the harmony, until the climax at "larmes d'amante coulees," when piano and voice both sing forte and create discords against one another, and then returning to the previous close, warm harmonies during the decrescendo.

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