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.
To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net
If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.
Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
4 Songs
Translations © by Grant Hicks
Song Cycle by Florent Schmitt (1870 - 1958)
View original-language texts alone: 4 Lieds
Où vivre ? Dans quelle ombre Étouffer mon ennui ? Ma tristesse est plus sombre Que la nuit. Où mourir ? Sous quelle onde Noyer mon deuil amer ? Ma peine est plus profonde Que la mer. Où fuir ? De quelle sorte Égorger mon remord ? Ma douleur est plus forte Que la mort.
Text Authorship:
- by Jean Richepin (1849 - 1926), no title, written 1877, appears in Les Caresses, in 4. Nivôse, no. 18, Paris, Éd. M. Dreyfous, first published 1882
See other settings of this text.
Where to live? In what shadow To smother my ennui? My sadness is darker Than night. Where to die? [Under]1 what wave To drown my bitter grief? My pain is deeper Than the sea. Where to flee? In what [way]2 To slaughter my remorse? My sorrow is stronger Than death.
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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Jean Richepin (1849 - 1926), no title, written 1877, appears in Les Caresses, in 4. Nivôse, no. 18, Paris, Éd. M. Dreyfous, first published 1882
Go to the general single-text view
View original text (without footnotes)Translations of titles:
"Angoisse" = "Anguish"
"Où vivre ?" = "Where to live?"
"Où vivre ? Dans quelle ombre étonffer mon ennui?" = "Where to live? In what shadow to smother my ennui?"
2 Vierne: "shame"
This text was added to the website: 2025-10-01
Line count: 12
Word count: 52
Te souviens-tu du baiser, Du premier que je vins prendre ? Tu ne sus pas refuser, Mais tu n'osas pas le rendre. Te souviens-tu du baiser, Du dernier que je vins prendre ? Tu n'osas pas refuser ; Mais tu ne sus pas le rendre.
Text Authorship:
- by Jean Richepin (1849 - 1926), "Te souviens-tu du baiser ?", written 1877, appears in Les Caresses, in 4. Nivôse, no. 27, Paris, Éd. M. Dreyfous, first published 1882
See other settings of this text.
Do you recall that kiss, The first that I came to steal? You didn't know how to refuse, But you didn't dare return it. Do you recall that kiss, The last that I came to steal? You didn't dare refuse; But you didn't know how to return it.
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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Jean Richepin (1849 - 1926), "Te souviens-tu du baiser ?", written 1877, appears in Les Caresses, in 4. Nivôse, no. 27, Paris, Éd. M. Dreyfous, first published 1882
Go to the general single-text view
Translations of titles:
"Évocation" = "Evocation"
"Le baiser" = "The Kias"
"Les deux baisers" = "The Two Kisses"
"Te souviens-tu du baiser ?" = "Do you recall that kiss?"
This text was added to the website: 2025-09-30
Line count: 8
Word count: 48
Nous aimer, à quoi bon, hélas ! avant que s'en vienne l'automne, va, nos pauvres cœurs seront las, car l'amour est si monotone... Ne nous aimons pas, nous verrons nos larmes et nos peines bien vite effacées... L'hiver viendra, nous oublierons fleurs décloses, amours passées...
To love each other, what's the point, alas! Before Autumn can get here, you know, our poor hearts will be weary, for love is so monotonous... If we don't love each other, we'll soon see our tears and our troubles wiped away... Winter will come, and we'll forget flowers unfurled, loves gone by...
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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Jules Le Roy (b. 1869), as Catulle Blée
Go to the general single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2025-09-30
Line count: 8
Word count: 53
Ils ont tué trois petites filles Pour voir ce qu'il y a dans leur cœur. Le premier était plein de bonheur ; Et partout où coula son sang, Trois serpents sifflèrent trois ans. Le deuxième était plein de douceur, Et partout où coula son sang, Trois agneaux broutérent trois ans. Le troisième était plein de malheur, Et partout où coula son sang, Trois archanges veillèrent trois ans.
Text Authorship:
- by Maurice Maeterlinck (1862 - 1949), no title, appears in Quinze Chansons, no. 3
See other settings of this text.
They killed three little girls To see what was in their heart. The first was full of happiness; And wherever its blood flowed, Three snakes hissed for three years. The second was full of gentleness, And wherever its blood flowed, Three lambs grazed for three years. The third was full of misfortune, And wherever its blood flowed, Three archangels kept watch for three years.
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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Maurice Maeterlinck (1862 - 1949), no title, appears in Quinze Chansons, no. 3
Go to the general single-text view
Translations of titles:
"Ils ont tué" = "They killed"
"Ils ont tué trois petites filles" = "They killed three little girls"
This text was added to the website: 2025-09-23
Line count: 11
Word count: 64