Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
If you wish to reprint translations, please use the Reprint Basket (upper right hand corner).
Reminder: You must always use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
L'enfant chantait; la mère au lit, exténuée, Agonisait, beau front dans l'ombre se penchant ; La mort au-dessus d'elle errait dans la nuée ; Et j'écoutais ce râle, et j'entendais ce chant. L'enfant avait cinq ans, et près de la fenêtre Ses rires et ses jeux faisaient un charmant bruit ; Et la mère, à côté de ce pauvre doux être Qui chantait tout le jour, toussait toute la nuit. La mère alla dormir sous les dalles du cloître ; Et le petit enfant se remit à chanter... La douleur est un fruit ; Dieu ne le fait pas croître Sur la branche trop faible encor pour le porter.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885), "L'Enfance", written 1835, appears in Les Contemplations, in 1. Livre premier -- Aurore, no. 23 [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), "L'Enfance", 1928, published 1982 [ voice and piano ], from Quatre chansons françaises, no. 3, London, Faber music [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Benjamin Louis Paul Godard (1849 - 1895), "L'Enfance", op. 97 [ medium voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887 - 1959), "Les mères", op. 45 (1914), published 1987, first performed 1917 [ voice and piano ], Rio de Janeiro: Arthur Napoleão [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
- ENG English (David K. Smythe) , "Childhood", copyright ©, (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: 12
Word count: 104
L’infant cantava; la mare era al llit extenuada, agonitzant, el seu bell front amb un caient vers l’ombra; la mort al seu damunt vagarejava a la nuvolada; i jo escoltava aquella ranera, i sentia aquell cant. L’infant tenia cinc anys, i prop de la finestra les seves rialles i els seus jocs feien un soroll encisador; i la mare, al costat d’aquell pobre i dolç ésser que cantava tot el dia, tossia tota la nit. La mare anà a reposar sota les lloses del claustre; i el petit infant tornà a cantar... El dolor és un fruit; Déu no el fa pas créixer a la branca massa feble encara per portar-lo.
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of title(s):
"L'enfance" = "La infantesa"
"Les mères" = "Les mares"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to Catalan (Català) copyright © 2024 by Salvador Pila, (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) by Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885), "L'Enfance", written 1835, appears in Les Contemplations, in 1. Livre premier -- Aurore, no. 23
This text was added to the website: 2024-05-18
Line count: 12
Word count: 111