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Player guide

Manoir de mes Rêves

A lyrical major-key piece in which repeated home-key phrases eventually open into a more searching final cadence. The understated beginning gives the later chromatic movement its expressive weight.

If you study one thing

Learn why the second half ends differently from the first.

Original restrained surrealist lithograph editorial illustration for Manoir de mes Rêves
Original Djangopedia illustration · AI-assisted, 2026
Illustration credits
Chart keyD major
Form32 bars, two related 16-bar halves
FeelBallad / gentle swing
Meter4/4
MusicDjango Reinhardt
Guide coverage12 / 12 sections present

Owner content reviewed — 2026-10-05T18:28:14Z by admin. Coverage measures presence, not accuracy. Content review does not certify rights or musical perfection.

See what is here and what is missing
  • ✓ Recording evidence
  • ✓ Key & form
  • ✓ Chart
  • ✓ History
  • ✓ Playing notes
  • ✓ Practice plan
  • ✓ Backing track
  • ✓ Django recording
  • ✓ Django solo study aid
  • ✓ Illustration
  • ✓ Sources
  • ✓ Difficulty

Django's Recordings

Django recordings for this tune. Uploader dates and take labels remain source claims; only an evidenced exact association enables a row’s Listen control.

10 historical recording entries · source text preserved
EntryYearRecording / session / release evidenceListen
011943Manoir de mes Reves, 17/2/43, OSW 323-1 ,"Fremeaux FA 312, Classics 905, Jazz Time 790560-2, RDC 40032,( EMI 780671-2 has BL 114 from Jan/Feb 1949 marked as OSW 323-1 ), Mosaic MD6-190(6 CD Set)."," - Paris - Andre Lluis, Gerard Leveque (cl), Django Reinhardt (g), Eugene Vees (g), Jean Storne (b), Gaston Leonard (d)"—
021945Manoir de Mes Reves, 6/11/45, OSW 410-1,"Fremeaux FA 312, Classics 945, Blue Note 7243837138-2", - Paris - Django Reinhardt and his American Swing Band—
031947Manoir de mes Reves, 1947, "Fremeaux FA 313, ","Paris - Rendez-vous In Paris Radio Programme Django Reinhardt (g), Eddie Barnard (p)."—
041947Manoir de mes Reves, 8-13/11/47, "Fremeaux FA 315, Vogue 228E 6008, Kardum GLO 139"," - Paris - Souvenirs de Django Reinhardt - Django Reinhardt (elg), Gerard Leveque (cl), Eugene Vees (g), Emmanuel Soudieux (b), Andre Jourdan (d)"—
051947Manoir de mes Reves, Nov. 1947, "Fremeaux FA 316, Vogue 228E 6009, Vogue 600121", RTF Broadcast—
061949Manoir de mes Reves, Jan-Feb 1949, BL 114,"Fremeaux FA 317, BGO CD 198, Jazz Time 827447-2, EMI 746 5012, EMI 780671**"," - Rome - Django Reinhardt (g), Stephane Grappelly (v),Gianni Safred (p), Carlo Pecori (b), Aurelio de Carolis (d)."—
071949Manoir de mes Reves, 25/10/49, "Fremeaux FA 318, Vogue 228E 6010, Vogue 600121"," - Radio Geneve - Django Reinhardt (elg), Andre Ekyan (as,cl), Francois Vermeille (p), Jean Bouchety (b), Gaston Leonard (d)"—
081950Manoir de mes Reves, 1950, CW13,"Fremeaux FA 318, RCA ND 70929-2, Dejavu CD 32"," - Rome - Django Reinhardt (elg), Andre Ekyan (as,cl), Ralph Schecroun (p) Alf Masselier (b), Roger Paraboschi (d)"—
091951Manoir de mes Reves, 20/2/51, "Vogue 228E 6010, Vogue LP (NEC Plus Ultra 502008)", - Paris - Maurice Vander (p) replaces Raymond Fol—
101953Manoir de mes Reves, 10/3/53, Verve 835418-2," - Paris - Django Reinhardt (elg), Maurice Vander (p), Pierre Michelot(b), Jean-Louis Viale (d)"—

A dash means no video has been associated with this exact historical recording. Tune-level listening resources remain available above.

History & Listening

The legacy archive lists a 17 February 1943 recording and several later performances. It also flags a reissue on which a 1949 take was labelled as the 1943 matrix. This is a useful reminder to distinguish a release label from the underlying performance.

Tune details

Music: Django Reinhardt

Documented in archive: 1943

Original key: Not established

Study level: Intermediate harmony; advanced phrasing

Melody & head

  • Allow repeated phrases to grow in intensity without rushing.
  • Distinguish the endings of the first and second halves.

Start with the inherited Django session ↗

Listening task: Allow repeated phrases to grow in intensity without rushing. Count the head before comparing solo choruses.

Session evidence

Manoir de mes Reves, 17/2/43, OSW 323-1 ,"Fremeaux FA 312, Classics 905, Jazz Time 790560-2, RDC 40032,( EMI 780671-2 has BL 114 from Jan/Feb 1949 marked as OSW 323-1 ), Mosaic MD6-190(6 CD Set)."," - Paris - Andre Lluis, Gerard Leveque (cl), Django Reinhardt (g), Eugene Vees (g), Jean Storne (b), Gaston Leonard (d)"

Compare another documented take ↗

Compare the tempo, key, introduction and final cadence with the first entry. Learn why the second half ends differently from the first.

Session evidence

Manoir de mes Reves, 10/3/53, Verve 835418-2," - Paris - Django Reinhardt (elg), Maurice Vander (p), Pierre Michelot(b), Jean-Louis Viale (d)"

Study the backing-track arrangement ↗

Count its form and check its key before joining in. D-major statements lead toward G through Am–D7. E7 and B♭7 add unexpected colours before the return. The final half has a different closing route, including Fm–B♭7 into Em–A7.

Chart & Form

D-major statements lead toward G through Am–D7. E7 and B♭7 add unexpected colours before the return. The final half has a different closing route, including Fm–B♭7 into Em–A7.

Chord symbols follow the inherited Djangopedia chart. Slashes are rhythmic marks; chord quality and turnaround choices may differ from the backing track. This is a chord reference, not a melody transcription.

Legacy chart
1D69
2D/ A7(-9)
3D
4D/ A7(-9)
5D
6D/ A7(-9)
7Am
8D7/ D7(-9)
9G69
10G/ A7
11D
12D/ Bm
13E7
14E7
15Bb7
16Bb7/ A7(-9)
17D69
18D/ A7(-9)
19D
20D/ A7(-9)
21D
22D/ A7(-9)
23Am
24D7/ D7(-9)
25G69
26G69
27E7
28E7
29Fm/ Bb7
30Em/ A7
31D/ Gm6 G#0
32D
Original chart text & notation
[[Image:Manoir.gif]]


| D69/// | D/ A7(-9)/ | D/// | D/ A7(-9)/ | D/// | D/ A7(-9)/ | Am/// | D7/ D7(-9)/ | 

| G69/// | G/ A7/ | D/// | D/ Bm/ | E7/// | E7/// | Bb7/// | Bb7/ A7(-9)/ | 

| D69/// | D/ A7(-9)/ | D/// | D/ A7(-9)/ | D/// | D/ A7(-9)/ | Am/// | D7/ D7(-9)/ | 

| G69/// | G69/// | E7/// | E7/// | Fm/ Bb7/ | Em/ A7/ | D/ Gm6 G#0 | D/// :||
Original source ↗

Play along

Alternatives (3)

Study Django's Solo

Performed studies, transcriptions, TAB, notation and lessons for studying Django’s solo. Resources are described by their creator; inclusion does not certify note-for-note accuracy.

Similar tunes

Behind the illustration

Django’s lyrical D-major ballad is documented from 1943, with later performances through 1953; the guide warns about a mislabelled reissue. The old photograph is a formal full ensemble standing with instruments.

An original editorial interpretation of the tune. This is an illustration, not an archival photograph or a documented reconstruction of a recording session.

Original Djangopedia illustration · AI-assisted, 2026

Illustration credits & provenance →

Notable Gypsy Jazz Performances

Selected performances by notable Gypsy Jazz players and ensembles. Inclusion is editorial and does not imply an objective popularity ranking.

Improvisation

Target notes & voice leading

  • Keep A as a common tone through D and Am, then hear C→B across D7→G.
  • Connect Fm to Em by lowering each triad note a semitone.
  • On A7, use C♯ as a clear leading tone back to D.

Pitch choices

  • D-major melodic material on home passages.
  • Chord-tone approaches through E7, B♭7 and the chromatic ii–V pairs.

Sing the melody over a bass-only accompaniment. Next connect Fm–B♭7–Em–A7 with one continuous guide-tone line and rejoin the full form.

Comping & voicings

Use gentle sixth/ninth colours and avoid accenting every dominant as a dramatic event. Keep the melody prominent through the final chromatic approach.

Voicing note sets

  • D6: D–F♯–B; G6: G–B–E.
  • Fm7: F–A♭–E♭ into Em7: E–G–D, then A7.

Keep the accompaniment clear

  • Start with a quiet, even pulse. Leave an entire phrase unfilled and listen to how the melody breathes.
  • Playing the first-half ending again at the end of the tune.
  • Adding dense extensions that obscure the melody or duplicate the pianist’s register.

Practice room

Start at 65–80; explore 90–120 bpm

Your assignment

Sing the melody over a bass-only accompaniment. Next connect Fm–B♭7–Em–A7 with one continuous guide-tone line and rejoin the full form.

Loop these changes

  • Am → D7 → G
  • E7 → B♭7 → A7
  • Fm → B♭7 → Em → A7 → D

Metronome

Start below the suggested tempo. First hear four quarter-note clicks, then halve the click rate and place clicks on beats 2 and 4. Keep the same phrase length.

Transposition

  • Move Am → D7 → G up one whole step by naming each chord’s function before finding a guitar shape.
  • Return to D major and play the original melody without the chart.

At the session

Manoir de mes Reves — D major; 32 bars, two related 16-bar halves. Agree the tempo, pickup, solo order and ending before the count.

Start together

  • Use a short D-major statement or the last four-bar cadence after agreeing its tempo.

Finish together

  • Use the final written phrase and sustain D6; do not replace it with a generic turnaround by habit.

Ask the accompanist to support the long melody rather than supply continuous fills. Agree on a rubato ending before the performance.

  • Playing the first-half ending again at the end of the tune.

Arranging the tune

Solo guitar

A melody-led chord arrangement works well; retain one bass note per harmonic change and let inner voices move quietly.

Trio or larger group

Ask the accompanist to support the long melody rather than supply continuous fills. Agree on a rubato ending before the performance.

Vocal considerations

This guide studies an instrumental arrangement. Any later lyric adaptation requires its own credit and chosen key.

Further study

  • Compare the two halves bar by bar. The changed final cadence provides a model for developing repetition without adding unrelated material.
  • Chord symbols follow the inherited Djangopedia chart. Slashes are rhythmic marks; chord quality and turnaround choices may differ from the backing track. This is a chord reference, not a melody transcription.
  • Compare the session evidence below before attributing one arrangement to every Django performance. The legacy archive lists a 17 February 1943 recording and several later performances. It also flags a reissue on which a 1949 take was labelled as the 1943 matrix. This is a useful reminder to distinguish a release label from the underlying performance.

Explore related tunes

Inherited media links

Sources & credits

This player guide combines inherited recording evidence and editorial study notes. Musical study notes are editorial suggestions; compare them with the recording.

Djangopedia legacy page ↗

  • Inherited chart, recording rows and historical source claims

Guitare Improvisation — backing track ↗

  • Backing-track identity, creator and view count; embed availability metadata

Feature photograph — Gypsy Jazz UK historical archive ↗

  • Photo identification, photographer and date
Illustration credit & provenance

Original Djangopedia illustration · AI-assisted, 2026

An original editorial interpretation of the tune. This is an illustration, not an archival photograph or a documented reconstruction of a recording session.

Generated with the native image-generation tool on 2026-10-08; original editorial artwork, not a historical photograph.

Prompt: Original editorial feature illustration for Manoir de mes Rêves. A softly textured lithographic dream image: an impossible but gentle house assembled from guitar contours, violin curves and open doorways floats above a calm cream landscape. Powder blue, moss green and restrained warm gold, airy asymmetry. This dream-house is an explicit musical/title metaphor, not Django’s real home or a historical location. Transform the old photo’s standing ensemble rhythm into a quiet row of abstract instrumental pillars. No human portrait, no fake archival patina. Original Djangopedia editorial illustration, clearly non-photographic. Do not copy a photograph, known artwork or specific artist. Landscape 1536 by 1024 feature image, important subjects within the middle 75% for responsive hero cropping. No lettering, numbers, musical notation glyphs, logos, signature, watermark, fake archival markings, caption or border. One finished candidate only.

Research & rights notes
  • Exact original composition date and registered credits where not independently sourced
  • Legacy date/matrix extraction and personnel spelling
  • Chart variants and specialist review of editorial music analysis

Photograph rights are documented separately in its credit. They do not establish the rights status of the composition or recording.