English translations of Songs, opus 90

by (Henry Louis) Reginald De Koven (1859 - 1920)

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1. L'heure du berger  [sung text not yet checked]
by (Henry Louis) Reginald De Koven (1859 - 1920), "L'heure du berger", op. 90 (Songs) no. 1, published 1894 [ voice and piano ], New York, Schirmer
Language: French (Français) 
La lune est rouge au brumeux horizon ;
Dans un brouillard qui danse la prairie
S'endort fumeuse, et la grenouille crie
Par les joncs verts où circule un frisson ;

Les fleurs des eaux referment leurs corolles ;
Des peupliers profilent aux lointains,
Droits et serrés, leurs spectres incertains ;
Vers les buissons errent les lucioles ;

Les chats-huants s'éveillent, et sans bruit
Rament l'air noir avec leurs ailes lourdes,
Et le zénith s'emplit de lueurs sourdes.
Blanche, Vénus émerge, et c'est la Nuit.

Text Authorship:

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Confirmed with Paul Verlaine, Poëmes saturniens, Paris: Alphonse Lemerre, 1866, in Paysages tristes, pages 59-60.


by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896)
1. The shepherd's hour
Language: English 
The moon is red on the misty horizon;
In a dancing fog the meadow
Falls asleep in a haze [lit. smokily], and the frog calls
Among the green rushes where a shiver circulates.

The water flowers close up their corollas;
Poplars are silhouetted in the distance,
Upright and bunched together, their spectres uncertain;
Towards1 the bushes roam the fireflies.

The owls awaken, and noislessly
Row through the black air with their heavy wings,
And the zenith fills with muffled glows.
White, Venus emerges, and it is Night.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2007 by Corinne Orde, (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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1 "Vers" can also mean "over by"


This text was added to the website: 2007-11-20
Line count: 12
Word count: 88

Translation © by Corinne Orde