La tristesse des menuets Fait chanter mes désirs muets Et je pleure, D'entendre frémir cette voix Qui vient de si loin, d'autrefois, Et qui pleure. Chansons frêles du clavecin, Notes grêles, fuyant essaim Qui s'efface, Vous êtes un pastel d'antan Qui s'anime, rit un instant, Et s'efface. Ô chants troublés de pleurs secrets, Chagrins qui s'ignorent, les vrais, Pudeur tendre, Sanglots que l'on cache, au départ Et qui n'osent s'avouer, par Orgueil tendre. Ah ! comme vous broyez les cœrs De vos airs charmants et moqueurs Et si tristes ! Menuets à peine entendus, Sanglots légers, rires fondus, Baisers tristes !
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada and the U.S., but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
Composition:
- Set to music by Germaine Caroline Corbin (1876 - 1913), "Menuet", published 1910 [ voice and piano ], from Six Mélodies, no. 3, Paris, L. Grus & Cie.
Text Authorship:
- by Fernand Gregh (1873 - 1960), "Menuet", written 1892, appears in La Maison de l'Enfance, in 9. Musique, no. 3, Paris, Éd. Calmann-Lévy, first published 1897
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Adam Ewing) , "Minuet", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Adam Ewing
This text was added to the website: 2012-04-02
Line count: 24
Word count: 99