Votre âme est un paysage choisi Que vont charmant masques et bergamasques Jouant du luth et dansant et quasi Tristes sous leurs déguisements fantasques. Tout en chantant sur le mode mineur L'amour vainqueur et la vie opportune, Ils n'ont pas l'air de croire à leur bonheur Et leur chanson se mêle au clair de lune, Au calme clair de lune triste et beau, Qui fait rêver les oiseaux [dans]1 les arbres Et sangloter d'extase les jets d'eau, Les grands jets d'eau sveltes parmi les marbres.
Les fêtes galantes. Esquisses mélodiques sur les poèmes de Paul Verlaine
Song Cycle by Adrien Remacle (1849 - 1916)
1. Clair de lune  [sung text not yet checked]
Text Authorship:
- by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), "Clair de lune", written 1867, appears in Fêtes galantes, no. 1, Paris, Alphonse Lemerre, first published 1867
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Anna Brull Piñol) , "Clar de Lluna", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- CAT Catalan (Català) [singable] (Núria Colomer) , copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- CHI Chinese (中文) (Yen-Chiang Che) , "月光", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Peter Low) , no title, copyright © 2000, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (William Faulkner) , "Clair de lune", first published 1920
- GER German (Deutsch) (Nele Gramß) , "Mondlicht", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Bertram Kottmann) , "Mondlicht", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Pierre Mathé) , "Mondschein", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (José Miguel Llata) , copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Elisa Rapado) , copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Confirmed with Paul Verlaine, Fêtes galantes, Paris: Alphonse Lemerre, 1869, pages 1-2. First appeared in the journal La Gazette rimée, February 20, 1867.
Note: All ampersands (&) as appear in the first publication are changed to "et".
1 Diepenbrock: "sous"Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Poom Andrew Pipatjarasgit [Guest Editor]
2. Les ingénus  [sung text not yet checked]
Les hauts talons luttaient avec les longues jupes, En sorte que, selon le terrain et le vent, Parfois luisaient des bas de [jambe]1, trop souvent Interceptés ! — et nous aimions ce jeu de dupes. Parfois aussi le dard d'un insecte jaloux Inquiétait le col des belles sous les branches, Et c'étaient des éclairs soudains des nuques blanches, Et ce régal comblait nos jeunes yeux de fous. Le soir tombait, un soir équivoque d'automne : Les belles, se pendant rêveuses à nos bras, Dirent alors des mots si spécieux, tout bas, Que notre âme, depuis ce temps, tremble et s'étonne.
Text Authorship:
- by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), "Les ingénus", written 1869, appears in Fêtes galantes, no. 7, Paris, Édition Alphonse Lemerre, first published 1869
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English [singable] (Nita Cox) , "Youthful lovers", first published 1904
- ENG English (Jordyn Elizabeth Beranek) , "Young lovers", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Bertram Kottmann) , "Die Arglosen", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Confirmed with Paul Verlaine, Fêtes galantes, Paris: Alphonse Lemerre, 1869, pages 13-14. Note: All the ampersands (&) that appeared in the first publication were changed to "et".
1 Debussy: "jambes"Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Poom Andrew Pipatjarasgit [Guest Editor]
3. Pantomime  [sung text not yet checked]
Pierrot qui n'a rien d'un Clitandre Vide un flacon sans plus attendre, Et, pratique, entame un pâté. Cassandre, au fond de l'avenue, Verse une larme méconnue Sur son neveu déshérité. Ce faquin d'Arlequin combine L'enlèvement de Colombine Et pirouette quatre fois. Colombine rêve, surprise De sentir un cœur dans la brise Et d'entendre en son cœur des voix.
Text Authorship:
- by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), "Pantomime", appears in Fêtes galantes, no. 2, Paris, Alphonse Lemerre, first published 1869
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CHI Chinese (中文) (Yen-Chiang Che) , "啞劇", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Laura Claycomb) (Peter Grunberg) , "Pantomime", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Charles Hopkins) , "Pantomime", written 2002, copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Charles Hopkins) , "Pantomime", written c2005, copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Ingrid Schmithüsen) , "Pantomime", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Confirmed with Paul Verlaine, Fêtes galantes, Paris: Alphonse Lemerre, 1869, pages 3-4.
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Poom Andrew Pipatjarasgit [Guest Editor]
4. Le faune  [sung text not yet checked]
Un vieux faune de terre cuite Rit au centre des boulingrins, Présageant sans doute une suite Mauvaise à ces instants sereins Qui m'ont conduit et t'ont conduite, Mélancoliques pèlerins, Jusqu'à cette heure dont la fuite Tournoie au son des tambourins.
Text Authorship:
- by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), "Le faune", appears in Fêtes galantes, no. 14, Paris, Alphonse Lemerre, first published 1869
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CZE Czech (Čeština) (Jaroslav Vrchlický) , "Na sošku fauna v parku"
- ENG English (Peter Low) , "The faun", copyright © 2000, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English [singable] (Nita Cox) , "The dancing faun"
- ENG English (Charles Hopkins) , "The faun", written 2002, copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Charles Hopkins) , "The Faun", written c2005, copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Bertram Kottmann) , "Der Faun", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- HUN Hungarian (Magyar) (Tamás Rédey) , "A faun", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Confirmed with Paul Verlaine, Fêtes galantes, Paris: Alphonse Lemerre, 1869, page 31.
Note: The ampersand (&) as appears in the first publication is changed to "et".
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Poom Andrew Pipatjarasgit [Guest Editor]
5. Fantoches  [sung text not yet checked]
Scaramouche et Pulcinella Qu'un mauvais dessein rassembla Gesticulent, noirs [sur]1 la lune. Cependant l'excellent docteur Bolonais cueille avec lenteur Des simples parmi l'herbe brune. Lors sa fille, piquant minois, Sous la charmille, en tapinois, Se glisse demi-nue, en quête De son beau pirate espagnol Dont un [langoureux]2 rossignol Clame la détresse à tue-tête.
Text Authorship:
- by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), "Fantoches", appears in Fêtes galantes, no. 11, Paris, Alphonse Lemerre, first published 1869
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Anna Brull Piñol) , "Titelles", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Laura Claycomb) (Peter Grunberg) , "Puppets", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FIN Finnish (Suomi) (Erkki Pullinen) , "Marionetit", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Bertram Kottmann) , "Marionetten", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Elaine Marie Ortiz-Arandes) , "Marionetten", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Confirmed with Paul Verlaine, Fêtes galantes, Paris: Alphonse Lemerre, 1869, pages 25-26.
Note: All ampersands (&) as appear in the first publication are changed to "et".
1 Debussy: "sous"2 Debussy: "amoureux"
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Poom Andrew Pipatjarasgit [Guest Editor]
6. Colloque sentimental  [sung text not yet checked]
Dans le vieux parc solitaire et glacé, Deux formes ont tout à l'heure passé. Leurs yeux sont morts et leurs lèvres sont molles, Et l'on entend à peine leurs paroles. Dans le vieux parc solitaire et glacé, Deux spectres ont évoqué le passé. — Te souvient-il de notre extase ancienne ? — Pourquoi voulez-vous donc qu'il m'en souvienne ? — Ton cœur bat-il toujours à mon seul nom ? Toujours vois-tu mon âme en rêve ? — Non. — Ah ! les beaux jours de bonheur indicible Où nous joignions nos bouches ! — C'est possible. — Qu'il était bleu, le ciel, et grand, l'espoir ! — L'espoir a fui, vaincu, vers le ciel noir. Tels ils marchaient dans les avoines folles, Et la nuit seule entendit leurs paroles.
Text Authorship:
- by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), "Colloque sentimental", appears in Fêtes galantes, no. 22, Paris, Alphonse Lemerre, first published 1869
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English [singable] (Peter Low) , "Sentimental dialogue", copyright © 2000, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Ernest Christopher Dowson) , no title, appears in Decorations, in After Paul Verlaine, no. 2
- ENG English [singable] (Nita Cox) , "The colloquy"
- GER German (Deutsch) (Pierre Mathé) , "Gefühlvolles Zwiegespräch", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Bertram Kottmann) , "Wehmütige Zwiesprache", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Colloquio sentimentale", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- JPN Japanese (日本語) (Naoyuki Okada) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Benjamin Oblitas Mollinedo) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Confirmed with Paul Verlaine, Fêtes galantes, Paris: Alphonse Lemerre, 1869, pages 49-51.
Note: The ampersands (&) as appear in the first publication are changed to "et".
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Poom Andrew Pipatjarasgit [Guest Editor]