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C'est un Amant, ouvrez la porte. Il est plein d'amour et de foi. Que faites-vous, êtes-vous morte, Ou ne l'êtes-vous que pour moi? Si vous n'êtes pas éveillée, Je ne veux point quitter ce lieu. Si vous n'êtes pas habillée, Que je vous voie, et puis adieu. Voulez-vous qu'ici je demeure Demi-mort, tremblant et jaloux? Hélas! s'il vous plaît que je meure, Que ce soit au moins devant vous. Quelqu'autre Amant rempli de gloire Me fait-il perdre ici mes pas? Je ne saurais vivre et le croire, Et ne puis ne le croire pas. Ah! vous ouvrez : Belle farouche, J'entends la clef, c'est votre voix. Ô belle main, ô belle bouche! Que je vous baise mille fois.
J. Massenet sets stanzas 1-3, 5
Pessard sets stanzas 1-3, 5
Mathieu-Manhangis sets stanzas 1-2
About the headline (FAQ)
Note: this poem is attributed to Mathieu de Montreuil in many places with the title "Stances" (and sometimes to Molière), but it appeared before either author's birth in an anonymous setting for treble voice and lute in the collection by Gabriel Bataille, Airs de differents avthevrs, mis en tablatvre de lvth..., second livre, Paris: Pierre Ballard, 1609, fol. 11.
With thanks to Professor Gordon J Callon for pointing this out (June 2013).
Text Authorship:
- sometimes misattributed to Jean-Baptiste Pocquelin (1622 - 1673), as Molière
- sometimes misattributed to Mathieu de Montreuil (1620 - 1691)
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , "C'est un amant, ouvrez la porte", published 1609 [ treble voice and lute ], in the collection ed. by Gabriel Bataille, Airs de differents avthevrs, mis en tablatvre de lvth⦠. Second livre (Paris: Pierre Ballardâ¦, 1609), fol. 11. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hans Hermann (1870 - 1931), "C'est un amant, ouvrez la porte", op. 3 (Fünf Gesänge für eine Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1897 [ voice and piano ], Magdeburg, Heinrichshofen Verlag ; note: the author is given erroneously as Mathieu de Montreuil , also set in German (Deutsch) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Jules Massenet (1842 - 1912), "Sérénade", 1876?, published 1876, stanzas 1-3,5 [ voice and piano ], G. Hartmann; note: the author of the text is given erroneously as Molière [sung text checked 1 time]
- by ? Mathieu-Manhangis (1870 - 1931), "Sérénade de Molière", 1888, published 1888, stanzas 1-2 [ tenor and piano ], in the revue Le Mélomane, no. 39, Dec 29, 1888 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Émile Pessard (1843 - 1917), "Ouvrez la porte", published [1892], stanzas 1-3,5 [ medium voice and piano ], from Chansons gaillardes, no. 15, Paris, Éd. Alphonse Leduc [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Hans Hermann.
- 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):
- ENG English (Peter Low) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2011-07-25
Line count: 20
Word count: 117
It's a lover, open the door. He is full of love and good faith. What are you doing, are you dead? Or dead only for me? If you're not awake I don't want to budge from here. If you're not dressed, let me see you, then say goodbye. Do you want me to stay here half-dead, trembling and jealous? Alas! If you wish me to die, let it at least be in front of you. Is there some other Lover full of pride causing me to waste my trip here? I could not live and believe that, and I cannot not believe it. Ah, you're opening the door! O untamed Beauty, I hear the key, I hear your voice. Oh beautiful hand, oh beautiful lips! Let me kiss you a thousand times.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2022 by Peter Low, (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) misattributed to Jean-Baptiste Pocquelin (1622 - 1673), as Molière and misattributed to Mathieu de Montreuil (1620 - 1691)
This text was added to the website: 2022-10-31
Line count: 20
Word count: 132