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Ô Mer, sinistre mer, que la bise d'automne Secoue et fait claquer ainsi qu'un vain lambeau : Ô Mer, joyeuse Mer, magnifique manteau Qu'agraffe le soleil aux flancs nus de Latone ; Ô Mer, sinistre mer, dont les gémissements Troublent l'esprit nocturne attardé sur les grèves ; Ô Mer, joyeuse mer qui, pour bercer les rêves, As des bruits de baisers et des frémissements ; Ô Mer, sinistre mer, pleine de funérailles ! Ô Mer, joyeuse mer, qui peuple un flot vivant ! La vie avec la mort en toi semblent ... S'unir pour féconder tes profondes entrailles. ... Puisque, sans te lasser, l'âpre travail du vent Engloutit dans tes flancs de charnelles semailles, Ô Mer, sinistre Mer, pleinde de funérailles ! Ô Mer, joyeuse Mer qui peuple un flot vivant!
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3,6 of the original text.
Composition:
- Set to music by Alexis de Castillon (1838 - 1873), "La mer", op. 8 no. 4 (1868-73), stanzas 1-3,6 [ low voice and piano or orchestra ], from Six poésies d'Armand Silvestre, no. 4, Éd. Heugel
Text Authorship:
- by Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901), "La mer", appears in La vie, in 3. La vie des morts, no. 6
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CZE Czech (Čeština) (Jaroslav Vrchlický) , "Moře", first published 1877
- ENG English (Laura Stanfield Prichard) , "The sea", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 185
Oh Sea, sinister sea that the north wind of autumn
Shakes and flaps just like a useless shred of cloth:
Oh Sea, joyful Sea, magnificent coat
Which the sun clasps around Latone's nude flanks;
Oh Sea, sinister sea, whose groans
Trouble the nocturnal spirit lingering on the strand;
Oh Sea, joyful sea who, in order to cradle dreams,
Possesses the noises of kisses and of quivering;
Oh Sea, sinister Sea, full of funerals!
Oh Sea, joyful Sea, who populates a living wave!
Life and death often seem, in you,
To unite to inseminate your profound depths.
...
Since, without tiring, the fierce work of the wind
Swallows up the carnal sowing of your slopes ,
Oh Sea, sinister Sea, full of funerals!
Oh Sea, joyful Sea, who populates a living wave!
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3,6 of the original text.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2018 by Laura Stanfield 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.
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901), "La mer", appears in La vie, in 3. La vie des morts, no. 6
Go to the general single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2018-01-08
Line count: 18
Word count: 132