by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896)
Translation by Wolf von Kalckreuth, Graf (1887 - 1906)
Comme la voix d'un mort qui chanterait
Language: French (Français)
Available translation(s): ENG
Comme la voix d'un mort qui chanterait Du fond de sa fosse, Maîtresse, entends monter vers ton retrait Ma voix aigre et fausse. Ouvre ton âme et ton oreille au son De la mandoline: Pour toi j'ai fait, pour toi, cette chanson Cruelle et câline. Je chanterai tes yeux d'or et d'onyx Purs de toutes ombres, Puis le Léthé de ton sein, puis le Styx De tes cheveux sombres. Comme la voix d'un mort qui chanterait Du fond de sa fosse, Maîtresse, entends monter vers ton retrait Ma voix aigre et fausse. Puis je louerai beaucoup, comme il convient, Cette chair bénie Dont le parfum opulent me revient Les nuits d'insomnie. Et pour finir, je dirai le baiser De ta lèvre rouge, Et ta douceur à me martyriser, -- Mon Ange! -- ma Gouge! Ouvre ton âme et ton oreille au son De ma mandoline: Pour toi j'ai fait, pour toi, cette chanson Cruelle et câline.
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship
- by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), "Sérénade", written 1866, appears in Poèmes saturniens, Paris, Éd. Alphonse Lemerre, first published 1866 [author's text checked 1 time 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 Louis Abbiate (1866 - 1933), "Sérénade", published 1899 [voice and piano], from Pièces pour chant et piano, no. 3, Paris, Grus [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Tony Aubin (1907 - 1981), "Sérénade", published 1932 [voice and piano], from Six poèmes de Verlaine, no. 1, Paris, Heugel [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Fernand Brumagne (1887 - 1939), "Sérénade" [voice and piano], Paris, Bosworth [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Isidore Chauvin (1899 - ?), "Sérénade", [1948] [voice and piano] [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Tonio Doni , "Sérénade", published 1932 [voice and piano], from Cinq mélodies, no. 2, Paris, Leduc [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Camille Erlanger (1863 - 1919), "Sérénade", published 1903 [bass and piano], Société nouvelle d'éditions musicales ; Eschig [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Léo Ferré (1916 - 1993), "Bolero pour chant et piano", published 1970 [voice and piano], Nouvelles Éditions Méridian [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Antonio Lima Fragoso (1897 - 1918), "Sérénade", 1917 [voice and piano], from Cinq mélodies de Paul Verlaine, no. 3 [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Georges-Victor Lafon , "Sérénade", published 1924 [voice and piano], from Trois mélodies, no. 3, Paris, Bigolet et Melon [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Edgar Letellier , "Sérénade burlesque", published 1923 [voice and piano], from Trois chansons brèves, no. 3, Paris, Eschig [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Dinu Lipatti (1917 - 1950), "Sérénade", op. 9 no. 5 (1941), published 1985 [voice and piano], from Cinq Mélodies sur des Poèmes de Paul Verlaine, no. 5, note: published in Romania as Cinci Lieduri pe Versuri de Verlaine ; Bucarest, Editura muzicala [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Charles Martin Tornov Loeffler (1861 - 1935), "Sérénade", op. 5 (Quatre poèmes pour voix, alto et piano) no. 4 (1893), published 1904 [voice, piano, and viola], New York, Schirmer [ sung text checked 1 time]
- by Bruno Maderna (1920 - 1973), "Sérénade", 1946-47, published 1997 [soprano and piano], from Liriche su Verlaine per voce di soprano e pianoforte, no. 2, Milan, Édition Suvini Zerboni [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Jean-Paul Mariage , "Sérénade", published 1905 [voice and piano or harp or violoncello (ad libitum)], Paris, Laurens ; later published 1909, Paris, Jouve [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Édouard-F. Michel , "Sérénade", 1903 [voice and piano] [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Héctor (or Ettore) Panizza (1875 - 1967), "Sérénade", op. 24 no. 5, published 1899 [voice and piano], from Neuf poésies de Paul Verlaine, no. 5, Milan, Ricordi [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Casimir von Pászthory (1886 - 1966), "Sérénade", published 1932 [voice and piano], from Tolochenaz [later renamed Sabine], no. 2, Wiesbaden, Cranz [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Augustin Smet, dit Gustave Smet (1878 - 1952), "Sérénade", published 1930 [voice and piano], from Six mélodies, no. 2, Paris, Lorette [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Jósef-Zygmunt Szulc (1875 - 1956), "Sérénade", published 1923 [voice and piano], from Sept mélodies, recueil 1, no. 7, Paris, Salabert [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Jean Vallet , "Pour toi", published 1950 [voice and piano], Nevers, J. Vallet [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Louis Vierne (1870 - 1937), "Sérénade", op. 38 no. 6 (1916), published 1924 [voice and piano or orchestra], from Spleens et Détresses, no. 6, Paris, Salabert [ sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Cäsar (Otto Hugo) Flaischlen (1864 - 1920) , "Serenade" ENG ; composed by Max Kowalski, Joseph Suder, Richard Trunk.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Corinne Orde) , "Serenade", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) ( Wolf von Kalckreuth, Graf) , "Serenade"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 28
Word count: 154
Serenade
Language: German (Deutsch) after the French (Français)
Wie ein Toter, der längst vom Leben schied, Aus dem Grabe sänge, Trägt Herrin zu dir mein klagendes Lied Seine zitternden Klänge. O öffne Seele und Ohr, den Klang Meiner Laute hörend. Für dich ertönt, für dich mein Gesang, So hold, so zerstörend. Ich singe dein Auge voll goldenen Glücks, Das schattenlos klare, Dann den Lethe deiner Brust, dann den Styx Deiner dunklen Haare. Wie ein Toter, der längst vom Leben schied, Aus dem Grabe sänge, Trägt Herrin zu dir mein klagendes Lied Seine zitternden Klänge. Und das Lob meines Sanges preist und erhebt Den Leib, den geweihten, Dessen süsser Duft zur Nacht mich umwebt In schlaflosen Zeiten. Und ich singe die Küsse von rotem Mund, Dass dein Preis ohne Mängel, Deine Süsse, die mich gerichtet zugrund, Meine Dirne, mein Engel! O öffne Seele und Ohr, auf den Klang Meiner Laute hörend. Für dich ertönt, für dich mein Gesang, So hold, so zerstörend.
Authorship
- by Wolf von Kalckreuth, Graf (1887 - 1906), "Serenade" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
- a text in French (Français) by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), "Sérénade", written 1866, appears in Poèmes saturniens, Paris, Éd. Alphonse Lemerre, first published 1866
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this text: Bertram Kottmann
This text was added to the website: 2018-01-25
Line count: 28
Word count: 153