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by Pierre-Jules-Théophile Gautier (1811 - 1872)
Translation © by Michael P Rosewall
Les colombes
Language: French (Français)
Available translation(s): ENG
Sur le coteau, là-bas où sont les tombes, Un beau palmier, comme un panache vert Dresse sa tête, où le soir les colombes Viennent nicher et se mettre à couvert. Mais le matin elles quittent les branches; Comme un collier qui s'égrène, on les voit S'éparpiller dans l'air bleu, toutes blanches, Et se poser plus loin sur quelque toit. Mon âme est l'arbre où tous les soirs comme elles, De blancs essaims de folles visions Tombent des cieux, en palpitant des ailes, Pour s'envoler dès les premiers rayons.
Authorship:
- by Pierre-Jules-Théophile Gautier (1811 - 1872), "Les colombes", appears in La Comédie de la Mort, first published 1838 [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 Abadie (1814 - 1859), "Les colombes", published 1846 [ medium voice and piano ], Paris, A. Cotelle [sung text not yet checked]
- by Auguste Chérion (1864 - 1904), "Les colombes", <<1888 [ medium voice and piano ], from Deux mélodies, no. 1, Paris, Éd. 'Au Ménestrel' Henri Heugel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Antony Choudens (1849 - 1902), "Les colombes", published c1872 [ voice and piano ], from 20 Mélodies, no. 13, Paris: Choudens [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Marie-Antoinette Didierjean (1874 - 1953), "Les colombes", published 1903 [ voice and piano ], Nancy, A. Dupont Metzner [sung text not yet checked]
- by Manuel de Falla (1876 - 1946), "Les colombes", published 1910 [ voice and piano ], from Trois mélodies, no. 1, Éd. Rouart, Lerolle & Cie [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Madeleine Ferrand , "Les colombes", published c1920 [ high voice and piano ], Paris, Éd. F. Durdilly [sung text not yet checked]
- by Henry Février (1875 - 1957), "Les colombes", published 1905 [ voice and piano ], Paris, Henry Gregh [sung text not yet checked]
- by Edmé (Antoine) Ligonnet (1832 - 1917), "Les colombes", published 1891 [ high voice and piano ], Paris, Ed. Eugène Mathieu fils [sung text not yet checked]
- by Klaus Miehling (b. 1963), "Les colombes", op. 41 no. 2 (1993), published 2014 [ voice and piano ], from Neun Lieder nach Texten von Théophile Gautier, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Henri Ruegger , "Les colombes", op. 86a, published 1898 [ tenor and piano ], Rio de Janeiro, E. Bevilacqua [sung text not yet checked]
- by Werther Zanolli , "Les colombes", published 1930 [ voice and piano ], Firenze, A. Forlivesi [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CZE Czech (Čeština) (Jaroslav Vrchlický) , "Holubi"
- ENG English (Michael P Rosewall) , "The doves", copyright © 2020, (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: 12
Word count: 88
The doves
Language: English after the French (Français)
There, on the hill, where there are tombs, A beautiful palm tree, like a green plume, Lifts its head, where at night the doves Make their nests and seek shelter. But, in the morning, they leave its branches; Like a necklace unstrung, one sees them Scattering in the blue air, all white, And alighting far off upon a roof. My soul is the tree where every night, as they, White swarms of wild visions come Falling from the heavens, fluttering their wings, Only to fly away at morning’s first rays.
Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2020 by Michael P Rosewall, (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.
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Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Pierre-Jules-Théophile Gautier (1811 - 1872), "Les colombes", appears in La Comédie de la Mort, first published 1838
This text was added to the website: 2020-11-11
Line count: 12
Word count: 90