by Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901)
Translation Jean-Pierre Granger
Un souffle de parfums s'élève
Language: French (Français)
Our translations: ENG
Un souffle de parfums s'élève Des taillis profonds, où son rêve Suivait le vol d'un long espoir ... Me vient-il de sa lèvre amie ? -- Non ! ce sont les fleurs que le soir Mêle à bruyère endormie. Une musique douce et frèle Sur mes pas murmure pour elle L'adieu à tout ce qu'elle fuit... Mon Dieu, j'entends sa voix dans l'ombre. -- Non ! c'est la chanson que la nuit Apprend tout bas au grand bois sombre. Nuit auguste, bois solitaire Qui voilez d'un double mystère Le secret des bonheurs passés, Rendez-moi l'haleine embaumée, Et les cheveux des fleurs tressés, Et la voix de la bien-aimée !
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901), no title, appears in Poésies 1861-1874, in 1. Les amours, in 2. Vers pour être chantés, in Mignonne, no. 19 [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 (François-Clément) Théodore Dubois (1837 - 1924), "Chant du soir", published 1883 [ voice and piano ], from Vingt Mélodies, no. 15, Éd. Alphonse Leduc [sung text not yet checked]
- by Jules Massenet (1842 - 1912), "Un souffle de parfums" [ voice and piano ], from Poème du souvenir, no. 3, Paris, Éd. J. Heugel, also set in German (Deutsch) [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Edmond Michotte (1831 - 1914), "Bonheurs passés" [ high voice and piano ], from Mignonne, no. 17, Bruxelles, Schott Frères [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Georg Friedrich Reiß (1823 - 1884) ; composed by Jules Massenet.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Jean-Pierre Granger)
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 102
A breath of perfume rises
Language: English after the French (Français)
A breath of perfume rises From the shrubs, where its dream Followed the flight of long hope; Does it come from your lips, my beloved? No! Those are the flowers that the night Blends with the sleeping heath. A soft and frail music Whispers for her as I walk The farewell to all she flees; My God! I hear her voice in the shadows! No! It is the song that the night Teaches quietly to the dark wood. Impressive night, lonely wood, Who steals from a double mystery The secret of past happiness, Give me back the perfumed breath, And the hair of braided flowers, And the voice of my beloved.
About the headline (FAQ)
Translation of title "Un souffle de parfums" = "A breath of perfume"
Note: the translator has released this translation into the public domain.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English by Jean-Pierre Granger
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901), no title, appears in Poésies 1861-1874, in 1. Les amours, in 2. Vers pour être chantés, in Mignonne, no. 19
This text was added to the website: 2010-10-21
Line count: 18
Word count: 111