by Anna Elizabeth Mathieu, Comtesse de Noailles (1876 - 1933)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

Violons dans le soir
 (Sung text for setting by C. Saint-Saëns)
 See original
Language: French (Français) 
Our translations:  ENG LIT
Quand le soir est venu, que tout est calme enfin
Dans la chaude nature,
Voici que naît sous l'arbre et sous le ciel divin
La plus vive torture :

Sur les graviers d'argent, dans les bois apaisés
Des violons s'exaltent,
Ce sont des jets de cris, de sanglots, de baisers,
Sans contrainte et sans haltes.

Il semble que l'archet se cabre, qu'il se tord
Sur les luisantes cordes,
Tant ce sont des appels de plaisir et de mort,
Et de miséricorde !

 ... 

Et le brûlant archet, enroulé de langueur
Gémit, souffre, caresse,
Poignard voluptueux, qui pénètre le cœur
D'une épuisante ivresse !

 ... 

Archets ! soyez maudits pour vos brûlants accords,
Pour votre âme explosive,
Fers rouges qui dans l'ombre arrachez à nos corps
Des lambeaux de chair vive…

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3,5,12 of the original text.

Composition:

    Set to music by Charles Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 - 1921), "Violons dans le soir", 1907, published 1907, stanzas 1-3,5,12 [ medium voice, piano, violin obbligato ], Éd. Durand

Text Authorship:

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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Ted Perry

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 48
Word count: 308

Language: English  after the French (Français) 
When evening has come and all is finally calm
In warm Nature,
There stirs beneath the trees and beneath the divine sky
The keenest torment.

On the silver gravel, in the tranquil woods,
There is a flourish of violins:
It is a stream of cries, of sobs, of kisses,
Without restraint and without cease.

It seems as if the violin bow is twisting
Over the gleaming strings,
For these are true calls of pleasure and of death
-- And of mercy.

 ... 

And the burning bow reels in lassitude,
Groaning, suffering and caressing -
A voluptuous dagger that pierces the heart
With exhausting euphoria.

 ... 

Bows, be cursed for your burning chords,
For your explosive soul:
Red-hot brands that in the shadows tear from our bodies
Scraps of living flesh!

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3,5,12 of the original text.

Translation of titles
"Les Violons dans le soir" = "Violins in the evening"
"Violons dans le soir" = "Violins in the evening"

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2016 by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


Based on:

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This text was added to the website: 2016-02-04
Line count: 48
Word count: 126