D'abord, Avril, avec de douces averses il

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by Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674)

Translation © by Guy Laffaille

First, April, she with mellow showers

Language: English

Our translations: CAT DUT DUT FRE GER

First, April, she with mellow showers
Opens the way for early flowers,
Then after her comes smiling May
In a more rich and sweet array,
Next enters June and brings us more
Gems than those two that went before,
Then (lastly,) July comes and she
More wealth brings in than all those three;
April! May! June! July!

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

• B. Britten

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Text Authorship:

by Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674) [author's text not yet checked 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 (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "The succession of the four sweet months", 1950, from Five Flower Songs, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
by Ernst Křenek (1900 - 1991), "The four sweet months" [ chorus ], from Three Madrigals, no. 2, madrigal [sung text not yet checked]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
DUT Dutch (Nederlands) (Wijtse Rodenburg) , "April komt met haar milde regen", copyright © 2003, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
DUT Dutch (Nederlands) (Pauline Kroger) , "De opeenvolging van de vier zachte maanden", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Bertram Kottmann) , copyright © 2013, (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: 9
Word count: 57

D'abord, Avril, avec de douces averses...

Language: French (Français) after the English

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D'abord, Avril, avec de douces averses il
Ouvre le chemin aux premières fleurs,
Puis après lui vient le souriant Mai,
Dans un habit plus riche et plus doux,
Ensuite entre Juin et nous apporte plus
De gemmes que ces deux qui l'ont précédé,
Ensuite (enfin), Juillet arrive et il
Apporte plus de richesses que tous les trois ;
Avril ! Mai ! Juin ! Juillet !

About the headline (FAQ)

Translations of title(s):
"The four sweet months" = "Les quatre doux mois"
"The succession of the four sweet months" = "La suite des quatre doux mois"

Text Authorship:

Translation from English to French (Français) copyright © 2016 by Guy Laffaille, (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 English by Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674)
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2016-12-21
Line count: 9
Word count: 61