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Les feuilles tombent, c'est l'automne. Tu pars, tout est fini! Ecoute le vent monotone Dans la forêt sans nid. Dans sa tristesse la nature Révèle à ma raison Que l'amour est une aventure Qui dure une saison. Mais ce soir valsons ensemble, C'est pour la dernière fois. Presse encor ma main qui tremble, Que j'entende encor ta voix, Et si tu vois des larmes Qui brillent dans mes yeux, Peut-être alors mes yeux Auront des charmes délicieux. Pour m'étourdir dans ma détresse, Valsons comme aux beaux jours, Quand tu jurais à ta maitresse De l'adorer toujours. Valsons, valsons, ton bras me serre Bien fort contre ton coeur; Et je pense: Était'il sincere Ou bien toujours menteur? Dernier baiser, dernière étreinte Tu pars! Voici le jour! Une étoile s'est éteinte Dans le ciel de l'amour. Cruel, cruel, tu vois les larmes Qui coulent de mes yeux! Mais les larmes n'ont plus de charmes Pour les coeurs oublieux.
Text Authorship:
- by Maurice Donnay (1859 - 1945) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Henri Duvernois (1875 - 1937) [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 Reynaldo Hahn (1874 - 1947), "La dernière valse", 1926, published 1926 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Peter Low) , "The last waltz", copyright © 2002, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Cadono le foglie", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Peter Low [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-12
Line count: 32
Word count: 156
The leaves are falling, it's autumn. You're going away, it's all over! Listen to the monotonous wind in the forest that is empty of nests. Nature in her sadness is revealing to my mind that love is an adventure which lasts only a season. But tonight let's dance together. This is our final time. Clasp my trembling hand once more, let me hear your voice again. And if there are tears glistening in my eyes, then perhaps that will make them deliciously charming. To make me dizzy in my distress, let's waltz as in those happy days when you kept promising me, your mistress, you would adore me forever. Let's waltz, your arm is squeezing me close against your heart; And I'm thinking: "Was he sincere or was he always a liar?" Last kiss, last embrace! You are going! It's daylight! A star has gone dark in the sky of love. Cruel man, you can see the tears that are streaming from my eyes! But tears have no charms any more for hearts that forget.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2002 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.
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Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Maurice Donnay (1859 - 1945) and by Henri Duvernois (1875 - 1937)
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-12
Line count: 32
Word count: 176