Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net
If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.
Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
Ô Mer, sinistre mer, que la bise d'automne Secoue et fait claquer ainsi qu'un vain lambeau : Ô Mer, joyeuse Mer, magnifique manteau Qu'agraffe le soleil aux flancs nus de Latone1 ; Ô Mer, sinistre mer, dont les gémissements Troublent l'esprit nocturne attardé sur les grèves ; Ô Mer, joyeuse mer qui, pour bercer les rêves, As des bruits de baisers et [de chuchotements]2 ; Ô Mer, sinistre mer, pleine de funérailles ! Ô Mer, joyeuse mer, qui peuple un flot vivant ! La vie avec la mort en toi semblent [souvent]3 S'unir pour féconder tes profondes entrailles. Es-tu la coupe immense où le philtre sacré Des renouvellements opère son mystère, Où viennent se tremper les forces de la Terre, Pour embrasser la forme en faisceau plus serré ? Es-tu le temple obscur de nos métamorphoses ? Le trésor infini des mouvements divers Dont s'animent les corps épars dans l'univers, Et des aspects sans fin que revêtent les choses ? Puisque, sans te lasser, l'âpre travail du vent Engloutit dans tes flancs de charnelles semailles, Ô Mer, sinistre Mer, pleinde de funérailles ! Ô Mer, joyeuse Mer qui peuple un flot vivant!
A. Castillon sets stanzas 1-3, 6
1 In Roman mythology, Latone was the mother of Apollo and Diana through Jupiter. Juno pursued Latone in revenge, but Neptune took her under his protection, creating the island of Delos for her to live on with her children.
2 Castillon: "des frémissements"
3 omitted by Castillon.
Text Authorship:
- by Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901), "La mer", appears in La vie, in 3. La vie des morts, no. 6 [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 Alexis de Castillon (1838 - 1873), "La mer", op. 8 no. 4 (1868-73), stanzas 1-3,6 [ low voice and piano or orchestra ], from Six poésies d'Armand Silvestre, no. 4, Éd. Heugel [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CZE Czech (Čeština) (Jaroslav Vrchlický) , "Moře", first published 1877
- ENG English (Laura Prichard) , "The sea", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 185
Oh Sea, sinister sea that the north wind of autumn Shakes and flaps just like a useless shred of cloth: Oh Sea, joyful Sea, magnificent coat Which the sun clasps around Latone's nude flanks; Oh Sea, sinister sea, whose groans Trouble the nocturnal spirit lingering on the strand; Oh Sea, joyful sea who, in order to cradle dreams, Possesses the noises of kisses and of quivering; Oh Sea, sinister Sea, full of funerals! Oh Sea, joyful Sea, who populates a living wave! Life and death often seem, in you, To unite to inseminate your profound depths. [...] [...] Since, without tiring, the fierce work of the wind Swallows up the carnal sowing of your slopes , Oh Sea, sinister Sea, full of funerals! Oh Sea, joyful Sea, who populates a living wave!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2018 by Laura Prichard, (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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901), "La mer", appears in La vie, in 3. La vie des morts, no. 6
This text was added to the website: 2018-01-08
Line count: 18
Word count: 132