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Nuages, nuages, que vous êtes loin! Nuages, nuages, que je suis las, Et sur vos seins, à la peau blanche Je voudrais tant me reposer! Nuages, nuages, que je vous aime! Nuages, nuages, que vous êtes beaux! Pour qui donc mettez-vous ces robes De satin vert, de velours rose?1 Nuages, nuages, que vous allez vite ! Nuages, nuages, que vous ai-je fait ? Vous fuyez en vous cachant la face Dans un grand voile de laine noire. Nuages, nuages, que dites-vous ? Nuages, nuages, qu’avez-vous ? Voici que vous grondez sourdement Comme une ourse qui se met en colère. Nuages, nuages, que vous êtes méchants ! Nuages, nuages, que vous m’aimez peu ! Vos regards me jettent des éclairs Qui me font mal jusqu’au fond des yeux. Nuages, nuages, que vous êtes bons ! Nuages, nuages, que vous m’aimez ! Vous avez vu que je pleurais Et vous pleurez aussi, car il pleut. Nuages, nuages, que vous êtes loin ! Nuages, nuages, que vous allez vite ! Mais je vous suivrai quand même, Et mes rêves dormiront sur vous.
F. Delius sets stanzas 1-2
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Delius adds: "Nuages, nuages, comme je vous aime. "
Notes provided by Laura Prichard about the song by Alexandre Georges: Eighteen years after the beginning of the novel, the tarot cards have revealed to La Vougne that her granddaughter will one day be queen of a Romani tribe. Miarka prepares for this role by learning sacred stories, songs, and rituals.
The poetic text in the preface to Georges’ complete score is preceded with this introduction:
"Oui, oui," faisait Miarka, "Cela est beau, grand-mère, je ne dis pas non. Mais il y a dans le livre bien d’autres chansons encore plus belles. Celle des Nuages, par exemple, qui est si triste." Et les yeux au ciel, comme si elle s’adressait aux nuages eux-mêmes, d’une voix douce comme un murmure d’eau courante, Miarka chantait la chanson." (Roman page 141)
["Yes, yes," said Miarka, "That's beautiful, Grandma, I won't say no. But there are many other even more beautiful songs in the book.
The one about the Clouds, for example, is so sad." And looking up at the sky, as if addressing the clouds themselves, in a voice as soft as the murmur of running water, Miarka sang this song.]
Text Authorship:
- by Jean Richepin (1849 - 1926), "Nuages, nuages, que vous êtes loin !", written 1883, appears in Miarka la fille à l'ours, in 3. Miarka s'instruit, Paris, Éd. Charpentier, first published 1883 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Frederick Delius (1862 - 1934), "Nuages", 1893, stanzas 1-2 [ high voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Alexandre Georges (1850 - 1938), "Nuages !", 1888 [ high voice and piano ], from Chansons de Miarka, no. 8, Éd. Enoch [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Laura Prichard) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Laura Prichard [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2017-06-01
Line count: 28
Word count: 169
Clouds, clouds, how distant you are! Clouds, clouds, how tired I am, And on your breast, on your white skin I’d really like to rest! Clouds, clouds, how I love you! Clouds, clouds, how beautiful you are! For whom do you dress yourself in those gowns Of green satin, of pink velvet? [... ... ... ...] [... ... ... ...] [... ... ... ...] [... ... ... ...] [... ... ... ...]
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Translation of title "Nuages" = "Clouds"
1 Delius adds: "Clouds, clouds, how I love you."
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2017 by Laura 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. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Jean Richepin (1849 - 1926), "Nuages, nuages, que vous êtes loin !", written 1883, appears in Miarka la fille à l'ours, in 3. Miarka s'instruit, Paris, Éd. Charpentier, first published 1883
This text was added to the website: 2017-06-01
Line count: 28
Word count: 53