Three Songs of Charles d'Orléans

Translations © by Grant Hicks

Song Cycle by Claude Achille Debussy (1862 - 1918)

View original-language texts alone: Trois Chansons de Charles d'Orléans

1. Dieu! qu'il la fait bon regarder!
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Dieu ! qu'il la fait bon regarder !
La gracieuse bonne et belle ;
Pour les grans biens que sont en elle	
Chascun est prest de la loüer.

Qui se pourroit d'elle lasser ?
Tous jours sa beauté renouvelle.
Dieu ! qu'il la fait bon regarder !
La gracieuse bonne et belle !

Par deçà, ne de là, la mer
Ne sçay dame ne damoiselle
Qui soît en tous bien parfais telle.
C'est ung songe que d'i penser :
Dieu ! qu'il la fait bon regarder !

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by Charles, Duc d'Orléans (1394 - 1465)
1.
Language: English 
[God!]1 how good to look upon her!
The gracious one, good and beautiful;
For the great virtues that are hers,
All are wont to praise her.

Who could become weary of her?
Her beauty ever renews itself.
[God!]1 how good to look upon her,
The gracious one, good and beautiful!

Neither here nor across the sea
Do I know a lady or maiden
Who is so perfect in every virtue.
It is a dream to think of her.
[God!]1 how good to look upon her!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2014 by Grant Hicks, (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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Translations of titles:
"Chanson VI" = "Chanson VI"
"Chanson Ancienne" = "Old Chanson"
"Dieu ! qu'il la fait bon regarder" = "God! How good to look upon her"
"Madrigal à deux voix pour soprano et violoncelle" = "Two-voice nadrigal for soprano and cello"
"Odelette de Charles d'Orléans" = "Odelette of Charles d'Orléans"

1 Hignard: "Ah!"; further changes may exist not shown above.


This text was added to the website: 2025-05-07
Line count: 13
Word count: 88

Translation © by Grant Hicks
2. Quant j'ai ouy le tabourin
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Quant j'ai ouy la tabourin
Sonner, pour s'en aler au may,
En mon lit n'en ay fait effray
Ne levé mon chief du coissin ;

En disant : il est trop matin,
Ung peu je me rendormiray :
Quant j'ay ouy le tabourin
Sonner, pour s'en aler au may.

Jeunes gens partent leur butin ;
De Nonchaloir m'accointeray :
A lui je m'abutineray,
Trouvé l'ay plus prouchain voisin :
Quant j'ay ouy le tabourin.

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by Charles, Duc d'Orléans (1394 - 1465)
2. When I heard the tambourine
Language: English 
When I heard the tambourine
Sound the call to go a-maying,
I was not disturbed by it in my bed
Nor did I lift my head from the cushion;

Saying, "It is too early;
I'll sleep yet a bit more,"
When I heard the tambourine
Sound the call to go a-maying.

Young folk divide their spoils;
I will keep company with not caring,
With it I will share my spoils
Having found it my nearest neighbor,
When I heard the tambourine.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2014 by Grant Hicks, (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: 

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Translations of titles:
"Quand j'ai ouï le tambourin" = "When I heard the tambourine"
"Quant j'ai ouy le tabourin" = "When I heard the tambourine"
"Rondel XXXVIII" = "Rondel XXXVIII"
"Tabourin" = "Tambourine"



This text was added to the website: 2025-05-07
Line count: 13
Word count: 81

Translation © by Grant Hicks
3. Yver, vous n'estes qu'un vilain
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Yver, vous n'estes qu'un vilain;
Esté est plaisant et gentil
En témoing de may et d'avril 
Qui l'accompaignent soir et main.

Esté revet champs, bois et fleurs
De sa livrée de verdure
Et de maintes autres couleurs
Par l'ordonnance de nature.

Mais vous, Yver, trop estes plein 
De nège, vent, pluye et grézil.
On vous deust banir en éxil.
Sans point flater je parle plein,
Yver, vous n'estes qu'un vilain.

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by Charles, Duc d'Orléans (1394 - 1465)
3. Winter, you're nothing but a brute
Language: English 
Winter, you're nothing but a brute;
Summer is pleasant and kind
By the testimony of May and April
Who accompany it eve and morn.

Summer clothes fields, woods and flowers
In its livery of green
And of many other colors
According to nature's decree.

But you, Winter, are too full
Of snow, wind, rain and hail.
You should be banished into exile.
Without the least flattery, I tell you straight:
Winter, you're nothing but a brute!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2014 by Grant Hicks, (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: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view

Translations of titles:
"Chanson LXXXII" = "Chanson LXXXII"
"Hiver, vous n'êtes qu'un vilain" = "Winter, you're nothing but a brute"
"Rondeau CCCXXXIII " = "Rondeau CCCXXXIII"
"Yver, vous n'estes qu'un vilain" = "Winter, you're nothing but a brute"
"Yver, vous n'estes qu'un villain" = "Winter, you're nothing but a brute"



This text was added to the website: 2025-05-07
Line count: 13
Word count: 76

Translation © by Grant Hicks