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Lorsque la coquette Espérance Nous pousse le coude en passant, Puis à tire-d'aile s'élance, Et se retourne en souriant ; Où va l'homme ? Où son coeur l'appelle. L'hirondelle suit le zéphyr, Et moins légère est l'hirondelle Que l'homme qui suit son désir. Ah ! fugitive enchanteresse, Sais-tu seulement ton chemin ? Faut-il donc que le vieux Destin Ait une si jeune maîtresse !
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Louis Charles Alfred de Musset (1810 - 1857), "Chanson : Lorsque la coquette Espérance", written 1840, appears in Poésies nouvelles [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 José André (1881 - 1944), "Lorsque la coquette Espérance", 1928 [ voice and piano ], from Mélodies et chansons, no. 5 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Noël Lee (1924 - 2013), "Fugitive enchanteresse", 2000, published 2000, first performed 2000 [ high voice and piano ], from Interrogations: Quatre mélodies sur des poésies de Musset, no. 4, Édition de l'auteur [sung text not yet checked]
- by Anselme Vinée (1847 - 1921), "Lorsque la coquette Espérance" [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Grant Hicks) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-05-03
Line count: 12
Word count: 59
When flirtatious Hope Jogs our elbow in passing, Then quickly darts away, And turns round smiling; Where does a man go? Where his heart calls him. The swallow follows the breeze, And the swallow is not as light As a man following his desire. Ah! Elusive enchantress, Do you know only your own path? Must then ancient Destiny Have a mistress so young?
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of titles:
"Chanson : Lorsque la coquette Espérance" = "Song: When flirtatious Hope"
"Fugitive enchanteresse" = "Elusive Enchantress"
"Lorsque la coquette Espérance" = "When flirtatious Hope"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2025 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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Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Louis Charles Alfred de Musset (1810 - 1857), "Chanson : Lorsque la coquette Espérance", written 1840, appears in Poésies nouvelles
This text was added to the website: 2025-09-24
Line count: 12
Word count: 63