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Nahandove, ô belle Nahandove ! L'oiseau nocturne a commencé ses cris, la pleine lune brille sur ma tête, et la rosée naissante humecte mes cheveux. Voici l'heure ; qui peut t'arrêter, Nahahndove, ô belle Nahandove ! Le lit de feuilles est préparé ; je l'ai parsemé de fleurs et d'herbes odoriférantes ; il est digne de tes charmes, Nahandove, ô belle Nahandove ! Elle vient. J'ai reconnu la respiration précipitée que donne une marche rapide ; j'entends le froissement de la pagne qui l'enveloppe ; c'est elle, c'est Nahandove, la belle Nahandove ! Reprends haleine, ma jeune amie ; repose-toi sur mes genoux. Que ton regard est enchanteur ! Que le mouvement de ton sein est vif et délicieux sous la main qui le presse ! Tu souris, Nahandove, ô belle Nahandove ! Tes baisers pénètrent jusqu'à l'âme ; tes caresses brûlent tous mes sens ; arrête, ou je vais mourir. Meurt-on de volupté, Nahandove, ô belle Nahandove ! Le plaisir passe comme un éclair. Ta douce haleine s'affaiblit, tes yeux humides se referment, ta tête se penche mollement, et tes transports s'éteignent dans la langueur. Jamais tu ne fus si belle, Nahandove, ô belle Nahandove ! [Que le sommeil est délicieux dans les bras d’une maîtresse! moins délicieux pourtant que le réveil.]1 Tu pars, et je vais languir dans les regrets et les désirs. Je languirai jusqu'au soir. Tu reviendras ce soir, Nahandove, ô belle Nahandove !
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Chansons madecasses: tr. en françois, suivies de Poésies fugitives par M. le Chevalier de P . . . ., Londres: Chez Hardouin et Gattey, MDCCLXXXVII , pages 27-29
1 omitted by Ravel.Text Authorship:
- by Évariste Desiré de Forges, vicomte de Parny (1753 - 1814), "Chanson XII", appears in Chansons madécasses, no. 12 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Malagasy from Volkslieder (Folksongs) [text unavailable]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937), "Nahandove", M. 78 no. 1 (1925-1926), published 1926 [ voice and piano ], from Chansons madécasses, no. 1, Éd. Durand [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Joseph-Bernard Woets (1783 - 1878), "Nahandove", subtitle: "Chanson madécasse en prose" [ tenor and piano or harp ], Paris, Éd. Mlles Erard [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), [adaptation] ; composed by Annette Elisabeth, Freiin von Droste-Hülshoff.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Peter Low) , "Nahandove", copyright © 2002, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 39
Word count: 221
Nahandove, oh beautiful Nahandove! The night bird has begun to sing, the full moon shines overhead, and the first dew is moistening my hair. Now is the time: who can be delaying you? Oh beautiful Nahandove! The bed of leaves is ready; I have strewn flowers and aromatic herbs; it is worthy of your charms, oh beautiful Nahandove! She is coming. I recognise the rapid breathing of someone walking quickly; I hear the rustle of her skirt. It is she, it is the beautiful Nahandove! Catch your breath, my young sweetheart; rest on my lap. How enchanting your gaze is, how lively and delightful the motion of your breast as my hand presses it! You smile, oh beautiful Nahandove! Your kisses reach into my soul; your caresses burn all my senses. Stop or I will die! Can one die of ecstasy? Oh beautiful Nahandove! Pleasure passes like lightning; your sweet breathing becomes calmer, your moist eyes close again, your head droops, and your raptures fade into weariness. Never were you so beautiful, oh beautiful Nahandove! Now you are leaving, and I will languish in sadness and desires. I will languish until sunset. You will return this evening, oh beautiful Nahandove!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2002 by Peter Low, (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 Évariste Desiré de Forges, vicomte de Parny (1753 - 1814), "Chanson XII", appears in Chansons madécasses, no. 12
Based on:
- a text in Malagasy from Volkslieder (Folksongs) [text unavailable]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 36
Word count: 200