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It was the charming month of May, When all the flow'rs were fresh and gay. One morning, by the break of day, The youthful, charming Chloe -- From peaceful slumber she arose, Girt on her mantle and her hose, And o'er the flow'ry mead she goes -- The youthful, charming Chloe. Chorus: [Lovely]1 was she by the dawn, [Youthful Chloe, charming Chloe]2, [Tripping]3 o'er the pearly lawn, The youthful, charming [Chloe]4. The feather'd people you might see Perch'd all around on every tree, In notes of sweetest melody They hail the charming [Chloe]4; Till, painting gay the eastern skies, The glorious sun began to rise, Outrival'd by the radiant eyes Of youthful, charming [Chloe]4. [Lovely]1 was she, &c.
J. Haydn sets stanzas 2-3
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Burns, Robert. Poems and Songs. Vol. VI. The Harvard Classics. New York: P.F. Collier & Son, 1909–14. Tune: Daintie Davie
1 Haydn: "O lovely"2 Haydn: "The sweetly smiling charming Anne"
3 Haydn: "When tripping"
4 Haydn: "Anne"
Authorship:
- by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "The charming month of May", written 1794 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by (Franz) Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809), "Green sleeves", JHW. XXXII/3 no. 262, Hob. XXXIa no. 112b, stanzas 2-3, note: the sung text begins 'O lovely was she by the dawn' [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Hermann Wolff (1845 - 1902) ; composed by Ignaz Brüll.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CZE Czech (Čeština) (Josef Václav Sládek) , "Byl krásný máj"
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-04-02
Line count: 22
Word count: 116
C'était au charmant mois de mai, Quand toutes les fleurs étaient fraîches et riantes, Un matin, au lever du jour, La jeune, charmante [Chloe]1, Émergea d'un paisible sommeil, Enfila son manteau et ses bas, Et partit sur la prairie en fleurs, La jeune, charmante Chloe ! Refrain [Elle]2 était mignonne à l'aube, [La jeune Chloe, la charmante Chloe]3, Sautillant sur la prairie emperlée, La jeune, charmante Chloe ! On pouvait voir la gente ailée Perchée autour, sur chaque arbre ! Avec les notes de la plus douce mélodie Elle célébrait la charmante Chloe, Jusqu'à ce que, peignant gaiement le ciel de l'est, Le soleil glorieux commençait à se lever, Surpassé par les yeux rayonnants De la jeune, charmante Chloe. Elle était mignonne...
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Title: "The charming month of May = "Le charmant mois"
J. Haydn mit en musique la strophe 2 (encadrée par le refrain)
Sur l'air de : Daintie Davie
1 Haydn remplace partout Chloe par Anne
2 Haydn: "Ô qu'elle"
3 Haydn: "La charmante Anne souriant doucement"
Authorship:
- Translation from Scottish (Scots) to French (Français) copyright © 2014 by Pierre Mathé, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
- a text in Scottish (Scots) by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "The charming month of May", written 1794
This text was added to the website: 2014-08-20
Line count: 22
Word count: 122