Le vierge, le vivace et le bel aujourd'hui Va-t-il nous déchirer avec un coup d'aile ivre Ce lac dur oublié que hante sous le givre Le transparent glacier des vols qui n'ont pas fui ! Un cygne d'autrefois se souvient que c'est lui Magnifique mais qui sans espoir se délivre Pour n'avoir pas chanté la région où vivre Quand du stérile hiver a resplendi l'ennui. Tout son col secouera cette blanche agonie Par l'espace infligée à l'oiseau qui le nie, Mais non l'horreur du sol où le plumage est pris. Fantôme qu'à ce lieu son pur éclat assigne, Il s'immobilise au songe froid de mépris Que vêt parmi l'exil inutile le Cygne.
About the headline (FAQ)
First published in La revue indépendante, March 1885.
Text Authorship:
- by Stéphane Mallarmé (1842 - 1898), no title, appears in Poésies, in Plusieurs sonnets, first published 1885 [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 Pierre Boulez (1925 - 2016), "Improvisation I sur Mallarmé", 1957, published 1958 [ soprano and instrumental ensemble or piano ], London, Universal Editions [sung text not yet checked]
- by Jacques Charvériat (1896 - 1968), "Le vierge, le vivace et le bel aujourd'hui", op. 16 (1940) [ high voice and piano ], Lyon, self-published [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert Groslot (b. 1951), "Le vierge, le vivace et le bel" [ voice and string quartet ], from Le bel aujourd’hui, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in Russian (Русский), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Aleksandr Abramovich Kreyn.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- RUS Russian (Русский) (Maximilian Alexandrovich Kirienko-Voloshin) , "Лебедь", appears in Amori amara sacrum
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2016-01-26
Line count: 14
Word count: 111
Могучий, девственный, в красе извивных линий, Безумием крыла ужель не разорвёт Он озеро мечты, где скрыл узорный иней Полётов скованных прозрачно-синий лёд? И Лебедь прежних дней, в порыве гордой муки Он знает, что ему не взвиться, не запеть: Не создал в песне он страны, чтоб улететь, Когда придёт зима в сиянье белой скуки. Он шеей отряхнёт смертельное бессилье, Которым вольного теперь неволит даль, Но не позор земли, что приморозил крылья. Он скован белизной земного одеянья, И стынет в гордых снах ненужного изгнанья, Окутанный в надменную печаль.
Show a transliteration: Default | DIN | GOST
Note on TransliterationsText Authorship:
- by Maximilian Alexandrovich Kirienko-Voloshin (1877 - 1932), "Лебедь", appears in Amori amara sacrum [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Stéphane Mallarmé (1842 - 1898), no title, appears in Poésies, in Plusieurs sonnets, first published 1885
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2021-07-23
Line count: 14
Word count: 86