English translations of Sept mélodies, opus 2

by Ernest Amédée Chausson (1855 - 1899)

1. Nanny
 (Sung text)
by Ernest Amédée Chausson (1855 - 1899), "Nanny", op. 2 (Sept mélodies) no. 1, published 1883, stanzas 1,4-5 [ voice and piano ], Paris, J. Hamelle
Language: French (Français) 
Bois chers aux ramiers, pleurez, doux feuillages,
  Et toi, source vive, et vous, frais sentiers;
Pleurez, ô bruyères sauvages,
  Buissons de houx et d'églantiers.

 ... 

Printemps, Roi fleuri de la verte année,
  Ô jeune Dieu, pleure! Été mùrissant,
Coupe ta tresse couronnée ;
  Et pleure, Automne rougissant.

L'angoisse d'aimer brise un coeur fidèle.
  Terre et ciel, pleurez! Oh! Que je l'aimais !
Cher pays, ne parle plus d'elle;
  Nanny ne reviendra jamais!

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by Charles-Marie-René Leconte de Lisle (1818 - 1894)
1. Nanny
Language: English 
Dear woods with pigeons, you are crying, soft leaves,
  And you, living spring, and you, fresh paths;
You weep, oh savage moor,
  Bushes of holly and wild rosebushes.

[ ... ]

Springtime, flowering King of the green year,
  Oh young god, weep! Maturing summer,
Cut off your own crowning tresses;
  And weep, blushing autumn.

The anguish of love [can] break a faithful heart.
  Earth and heaven, weep! Oh! How I loved her!
Dear countryside, don’t speak any more of her;
  Nanny will never return!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (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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Translator's note for stanza 2, line 4 ("moorhen"): this is also the Cajun Louisiana name for the American coot (bird).



This text was added to the website: 2016-01-01
Line count: 20
Word count: 134

Translation © by Laura Prichard
2. Le charme
 (Sung text)
by Ernest Amédée Chausson (1855 - 1899), "Le charme", op. 2 (Sept mélodies) no. 2, published 1883 [ voice and piano ], Paris, J. Hamelle
Language: French (Français) 
Quand ton sourire me surprit,
Je sentis frémir tout mon être,
Mais ce qui domptait nous esprit,
Je ne pus d'abord le connaître.

Quand ton regard tomba sur moi,
Je sentis mon âme se fondre ;
Mais ce que serait cet émoi,
Je ne pus d'abord en répondre.

Ce qui me vainquit à jamais, 
Ce fut un plus douloureux charme,
Et je n'ai su que je t'aimais
Qu'en voyant ta première larme !

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by Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901)
2. When your smile surprised me
Language: English 
 When your smile surprised me,
 I felt a shudder through my entire being,
 But what tamed my spirit,
 At first I did not recognize.
 
 When your glance fell on me,
 I felt my soul melt,
 But what that emotion was,
 At first I could not answer it.
 
 What conquered me forever,
 That was a charm more sad,
 And I did not know that I loved you,
 Until I saw your first tear.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © by Thomas A. Gregg, (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 between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 73

Translation © by Thomas A. Gregg
3. Les papillons  [sung text not yet checked]
by Ernest Amédée Chausson (1855 - 1899), "Les papillons", op. 2 (Sept mélodies) no. 3, published 1883 [ voice and piano ], Paris, J. Hamelle
Language: French (Français) 
Les papillons couleur de neige
Volent par essaims sur la mer ;
Beaux papillons blancs, quand pourrai-je
Prendre le bleu chemin de l'air ?

Savez-vous, ô belle des belles,
Ma bayadère aux yeux de jais,
S'ils me [pouvaient]1 prêter leurs ailes,
Dites, savez-vous où j'irais ?

Sans prendre un seul baiser aux roses,
À travers vallons et forêts,
J'irais à vos lèvres mi-closes,
Fleur de mon âme, et j'y mourrais.

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Note: this poem was titled "Pantoum" in L'Eldorado and Fortunio, and titled "Les papillons" in other editions.

1 in some settings, "voulaient"; we will add further information when we obtain it.

by Pierre-Jules-Théophile Gautier (1811 - 1872)
3. The butterflies
Language: English 
The snow-white butterflies
fly in swarms over the sea.
Beautiful white butterflies, when can I
travel the blue path of the air?
 
Tell me, oh fairest of the fair,
my dancing-girl with the jet-black eyes -
if they were to lend me their wings,
do you know where I would fly?
 
Not taking one kiss from the roses,
I'd fly across valleys and forests
to alight on your half-closed lips (oh my soul's
chosen flower!) - and there I'd die.

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.
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Translation of title "Les papillons" = "The butterflies"


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 78

Translation © by Peter Low
4. La dernière feuille
 (Sung text)
by Ernest Amédée Chausson (1855 - 1899), "La dernière feuille", op. 2 (Sept mélodies) no. 4 (1880), published 1883 [ high voice and piano ], Paris, J. Hamelle
Language: French (Français) 
Dans la forêt chauve et rouillée
Il ne reste plus au rameau
Qu'une pauvre feuille oubliée,
Rien qu'une feuille et qu'un oiseau,

Il ne reste plus en mon âme
Qu'un seul amour pour y chanter;
Mais le vent d'automne qui brame
Ne permet pas de l'écouter.

L'oiseau s'en va, la feuille tombe,
L'amour s'éteint, car c'est l'hiver.
Petit oiseau, viens sur ma tombe
Chanter, quand l'arbre sera vert.

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Text first published as "L'hiver" in the journal "Don Quichotte", April 30, 1837.
by Pierre-Jules-Théophile Gautier (1811 - 1872)
4. The last leaf
Language: English 
In the bare and blighted forest
nothing now remains on the branches
except a poor forgotten leaf,
nothing but a leaf and a bird.

Nothing now remains in my heart
except one love which is there to sing.
But the howling autumn wind
prevents it from being heard.

The bird flies away, the leaf falls,
the love stops burning, for it is winter.
Oh little bird, come to my tomb
to sing when the tree is green again.

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.
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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 78

Translation © by Peter Low
5. Sérénade italienne
 (Sung text)
by Ernest Amédée Chausson (1855 - 1899), "Sérénade italienne", op. 2 (Sept mélodies) no. 5, published 1883 [ voice and piano ], Paris, J. Hamelle
Language: French (Français) 
Partons en barque sur la mer
Pour passer la nuit aux étoiles.
Vois, il souffle juste assez d'air
Pour enfler la toile des voiles.

Le vieux pêcheur italien 
Et ses deux fils qui nous conduisent,
Écoutent, mais n'entendent rien
Aux mots que nos bouches se disent.

Sur la mer calme et sombre, vois : 
Nous pouvons échanger nos âmes,
Et nul ne comprendra nos voix
Que la nuit, le ciel et les lames.

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by Paul Bourget (1852 - 1935)
5. Italian serenade
Language: English 
Let's go out in a boat on the sea
to spend the night under the stars.
Look, it's blowing just enough breeze
to swell the canvas of the sails.

The old Italian fisherman
and his two sons, who sail us out,
hear but understand nothing
of the words we say to each other.

On the calm dark sea, look!
we can exchange our souls,
and our voices will not be understood
except by the night, the sky and the waves.

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.
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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 80

Translation © by Peter Low
6. Hébé
 (Sung text)

Subtitle: Chanson Greque dans le mode phrygien

by Ernest Amédée Chausson (1855 - 1899), "Hébé", subtitle: "Chanson Greque dans le mode phrygien", op. 2 (Sept mélodies) no. 6, published 1883 [ voice and piano ], Paris, J. Hamelle
Language: French (Français) 
Les yeux baissés, rougissante et candide,
Vers leur banquet quand Hébé s'avançait.
Les Dieux charmés tendaient leur coupe vide,
Et de nectar l'enfant la remplissait.

Nous tous aussi, quand passe la jeunesse,
Nous lui tendons notre coupe à l'envi.
Quel est le vin qu'y verse la Déesse?
Nous l'ignorons; il enivre et ravit.

Ayant souri dans sa grâce immortelle,
Hébé s'éloigne; on la rappelle en vain.
Longtemps encor sur la route éternelle,
Notre oeil en pleurs suit l'échanson divin.

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by Louise-Victorine Ackermann, née Choquet (1813 - 1890)
6. Hebe
Language: English 
When Hebe, with her eyes lowered, blushing and artless
walked towards their banqueting-table,
the gods, enchanted, would hold out their empty cups
and the girl would fill them with nectar.

We also, all of us, when youth comes past,
jostle to hold our goblets out.
What wine does the goddess pour?
One we don't know, which exalts and enraptures.

Immortally graceful, Hebe smiles
and walks away; there's no calling her back.
For a long time still, watching the eternal road,
we follow with tearful gaze the divine cup-bearer.

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.
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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 88

Translation © by Peter Low
7. Le colibri
 (Sung text)
by Ernest Amédée Chausson (1855 - 1899), "Le colibri", op. 2 (Sept mélodies) no. 7 (1882) [ high voice and piano ]
Language: French (Français) 
Le vert colibri, le roi des collines,
Voyant la rosée et le soleil clair,
Luire dans son nid tissé d'herbes fines,
Comme un frais rayon s'échappe dans l'air.

Il se hâte et vole aux sources voisines,
Où les bambous font le bruit de la mer,
Où l'açoka rouge aux odeurs divines
S'ouvre et porte au coeur un humide éclair.

Vers la fleur dorée, il descend, se pose,
Et boit tant d'amour dans la coupe rose,
Qu'il meurt, ne sachant s'il l'a pu tarir! 

Sur ta lèvre pure, ô ma bien-aimée,
Telle aussi mon âme eut voulu mourir,
Du premier baiser qui l'a parfumée.

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by Charles-Marie-René Leconte de Lisle (1818 - 1894)
7. The hummingbird
Language: English 
The hummingbird, the green prince of the heights,
feeling the dew and seeing the sun's clear light
shining into his nest of woven grass,
shoots up in the air like a gleaming dart.

Hurriedly he flies to the nearby marsh
where the waves of bamboo rustle and bend,
and the red hibiscus with the heavenly scent
opens to show its moist and glistening heart.

Down to the flower he flies, alights from above,
and from the rosy cup drinks so much love
that he dies, not knowing if he could drink it dry.

Even so, my darling, on your pure lips
my soul and senses would have wished to die
on contact with that first full-fragrant kiss.

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.
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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 14
Word count: 117

Translation © by Peter Low