English translations of Quatre mélodies, opus 22

by Charles Koechlin (1867 - 1950)

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1. La chanson des Ingénues
 (Sung text)
by Charles Koechlin (1867 - 1950), "La chanson des Ingénues", op. 22 (Quatre mélodies) no. 1 (1901) [ voice and piano or unison chorus ], Paris, L. Philippo
Language: French (Français) 
Nous sommes les Ingénues
Aux bandeaux plats, à l'œil bleu,
Qui vivons, presque inconnues,
Dans les romans qu'on lit peu.

Nous allons entrelacées,
Et le jour n'est pas plus pur
Que le fond de nos pensées,
Et nos rêves sont d'azur ;

Et nous courons par les près,
Et rions et babillons
Des aubes jusqu'aux vesprées,
Et chassons aux papillons ;

Et des chapeaux de bergères
Défendent notre fraîcheur,
Et nos robes — si légères —
Sont d'une extrême blancheur ;

Les Richelieux, les Caussades
Et les chevaliers Faublas
Nous prodiguent les œillades,
Les saluts et les « hélas ! »

Mais en vain, et leurs mimiques
Se viennent casser le nez
Devant les plis ironiques
De nos jupons détournées ;

Et notre candeur se raille 
Des imaginations 
De ces près de muraille,
Bien que parfois nous sentions

Battre nos cœurs sous nos mantes
À des pensers clandestins.
En nous sachant les amantes
Futures des libertins.

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by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896)
1.
Language: English 
We are the naïve girls
with flat headbands and blue eyes
who live almost unnoticed
in novels that are seldom read.

We walk arm in arm together;
daylight is not more pure
than our innermost thoughts;
and our dreams are of azure skies.

We run across the meadows,
we giggle and prattle
from dawn till dusk,
and we chase butterflies.

Our shepherdess hats
protect our freshness,
and our dresses – so flimsy
– are extremely white.

Priests like Richelieu or Caussade,
or knights like Faublas,
are lavish with winking
and greeting and sighs of “Alas!”,

but in vain –  their gestures
draw a total blank
when faced with the ironic pleats
of our skirts as we turn away.

Our artlessness mocks
the imaginings
of those sneaky men…
although sometimes we feel

our hearts beating under our cloaks
in response to secret thoughts,
and know that we are the future
mistresses of libertines.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2019 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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Translations of titles
"Chanson des ingénues" = "Song of the Ingénues"
"La chanson des Ingénues" = "The Song of the Ingénues"



This text was added to the website: 2019-08-23
Line count: 32
Word count: 152

Translation © by Peter Low
2. Novembre
 (Sung text)
by Charles Koechlin (1867 - 1950), "Novembre", op. 22 (Quatre mélodies) no. 2 (1901)
Language: French (Français) 
Novembre approche, -- et c'est le mois charmant
Où, devinant ton âme à ton sourire,
Je me suis pris à t'aimer vaguement,
    Sans rien dire.

Novembre approche, -- ah! nous étions enfants,
Mais notre amour fut beau comme un poème,
-- Comme l'on fait des rêves triomphants,
    Lorsqu'on aime! --

Novembre approche, -- assis au coin du feu,
Malade et seul, j'ai songé tout à l'heure
A cet hiver où je croyais en Dieu,
    Et je pleure.

Novembre approche, -- et c'est le mois béni
Où tous les morts ont des fleurs sur leur pierre,
Et moi je porte à mon rêve fini
    Sa prière.

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Koechlin: "malade et seul, assis au coin du feu"
by Paul Bourget (1852 - 1935)
2. November
Language: English 
November is approaching, and it's the charming month
When, divining your soul in your smile,
I vaguely decided to love you
Without saying anything . . .

November is approaching, ah! we were children,
But our love was as beautiful as a poem. 
Since one has triumphant dreams
When one loves!

November is approaching. Sick and alone, sitting beside the fire,
I was reminded a little earlier
Of that winter when I believed in God,
And I weep.

November is approaching, And it's the blessed month
When all the dead have flowers on their gravestones. 
And I, I carry to my dead dream
Its prayer.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2008 by Sharon Krebs, (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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This text was added to the website: 2008-09-03
Line count: 16
Word count: 105

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
3. Mon rêve familier
 (Sung text)
by Charles Koechlin (1867 - 1950), "Mon rêve familier", op. 22 (Quatre mélodies) no. 3 (1901) [ voice and piano ]
Language: French (Français) 
Je fais souvent ce rêve étrange et pénétrant
D'une femme inconnue, et que j'aime, et qui m'aime,
Et qui n'est, chaque fois, ni tout à fait la même
Ni tout à fait une autre, et m'aime et me comprend.

Car elle me comprend, et mon cœur, transparent
Pour elle seule, hélas ! cesse d'être un problème
Pour elle seule, et les moiteurs de mon front blême,
Elle seule les sait rafraîchir, en pleurant.

Est-elle brune, blonde ou rousse ? — Je l'ignore.
Son nom ? Je me souviens qu'il est doux et sonore
Comme ceux des aimés que la Vie exila.

Son regard est pareil au regard des statues,
Et, pour sa voix, lointaine, et calme, et grave, elle a
L'inflexion des voix chères qui se sont tues.

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by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896)
3. My familiar dream
Language: English 
 I often have this strange, engrossing dream
 of an unknown woman, whom I love and who loves me,
 and who, each time, is never quite the same
 nor completely another, and who loves and understands.
 
 For she understands me; my heart, an open book
 to her alone (alas), is no longer a problem,
 at least not to her; and when my pale brow is clammy
 she alone knows how to refresh it, with her tears.
 
 Is she brunette, blonde or redheaded? I don't know.
 Her name? I recall that it's sweet and sonorous
 like the names of lovers whom Life sent into exile.
 
 Her gaze is like the gaze of a statue,
 and her voice - her distant, calm deep voice -
 has the inflection of beloved voices that have fallen silent.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2000 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.
    Contact: 

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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 14
Word count: 131

Translation © by Peter Low
4. Il pleure dans mon cœur
 (Sung text)
by Charles Koechlin (1867 - 1950), "Il pleure dans mon cœur", op. 22 (Quatre mélodies) no. 4, published 1900-1 [ voice and piano ], Paris, L. Philippo
Language: French (Français) 
Il pleure dans mon cœur
Comme il pleut sur la ville ;
Quelle est cette langueur
Qui pénètre mon cœur ?

Ô bruit doux de la pluie,
Par terre et sur les toits !
Pour un cœur qui s'ennuie,
Ô le chant de la pluie !

Il pleure sans raison
Dans ce cœur qui s'écœure.
Quoi ! nulle trahison ? ...
Ce deuil est sans raison.

C'est bien la pire peine,
De ne savoir pourquoi...
Sans amour et sans haine
Mon cœur a tant de peine !

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by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896)
4. There is weeping in my heart
Language: English 
 There is weeping in my heart
 like the rain falling on the town.
 What is this languor
 that pervades my heart?
 
 Oh the patter of the rain
 on the ground and the roofs!
 For a heart growing weary
 oh the song of the rain!
 
 There is weeping without cause
 in this disheartened heart.
 What!  No betrayal?
 There's no reason for this grief.
 
 Truly the worst pain
 is not knowing why,
 without love or hatred,
 my heart feels so much pain.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2000 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.
    Contact: 

Based on:

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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 81

Translation © by Peter Low