possibly by Jean Tabourot (1520 - 1595), as Thoinot Arbeau
Belle qui tient ma vie See base text
Language: Old French (Ancien français)
Belle qui tient ma vie captive dans tes yeux, qui m'as l'âme ravie d'un souris gracieux ; viens tôt me secourir, ou me faudra mourir. Tes beautés et ta grâce, et tes divins propos ont de moi pris la place et causé tant de maux en remplissant mon cœur d'une amoureuse ardeur. Di d'un brûlant martyre tu n'as aucun émoi, si ta beauté m'attire et ne fait rien pour moi : tant aimer et souffrir, oh ! mieux vaudrait mourir.
Note: see also Peter Cornelius's piece Blaue Augen, which adapts Arbeau's melody to a German text that is not a direct translation of this text but shares the mention of blue eyes. Reger's "Altfranzösisches Tanzlied" is also based on Arbeau's melody (unattributed) and uses this same text by Cornelius (also unattributed). Warlock also uses Arbeau's melody in his Capriol Suite, in the "Pavane", without words.
Composition:
- Set to music by Peter Erasmus Lange-Müller (1850 - 1926), "Belle qui tient ma vie", op. 28 no. 6 [ voice and piano ], from Six anciennes chansons d'amour, no. 6
Text Authorship:
- possibly by Jean Tabourot (1520 - 1595), as Thoinot Arbeau
See other settings of this text.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-07-26
Line count: 42
Word count: 179