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by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896)
Translation © by Peter Low

Je suis venu, calme orphelin
Language: French (Français) 
Our translations:  ENG
  Gaspard Hauser chante :

Je suis venu, calme orphelin,
Riche de mes seuls yeux tranquilles,
Vers les hommes des grandes villes :
Ils ne m'ont pas trouvé malin.

À vingt ans un trouble nouveau,
Sous le nom d'amoureuses flammes
M'a fait trouver belles les femmes :
Elles ne m'ont pas trouvé beau.

Bien que sans patrie et sans roi
Et très brave ne l'étant guère,
J'ai voulu mourir à la guerre :
La mort n'a pas voulu de moi.

Suis-je né trop tôt ou trop tard ?
Qu'est-ce que je fais en ce monde ?
Ô vous tous, ma peine est profonde :
Priez pour le pauvre Gaspard !

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), no title, appears in Sagesse, in Sagesse III, no. 4, first published 1880 [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 Tony Aubin (1907 - 1981), "Chanson de Gaspard Hauser", 1932, published 1933 [ voice and piano ], from Six poèmes de Verlaine, no. 4, Paris, Heugel [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Jacques Bousquet (1883 - 1939), "Gaspard Hauser chante", published 1911 [ voice and piano ], Paris, Hayet [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Marguerite Canal (1890 - 1978), "Je suis venu calme orphelin", published 1931, from Sagesse, no. 2, Paris, Heugel [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Édouard-Simon Combe (1866 - 1942), "Chanson de Gaspard Hauser", 1897 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
  • by J.-M. Depelsenaire , "Chanson de Gaspard Hauser", 1972 [ bass and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Francis Dhomont , "Suis-je né trop tôt ?", [1955] [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Hector Michel Fraggi (1882 - 1944), "La complainte de Gaspard", published 1934 [ voice and piano ], Vincennes, Ricard [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Paule-Émile Gille , "Je suis venu, calme orphelin " [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Olivier Greif (1950 - 2000), "Chanson de Gaspard Hauser", op. 11 (1966) [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Jean Hubeau (1917 - 1992), "Le pauvre Gaspard", 1937 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Maxime Joyeux , "Pauvre Gaspard", published [1954] [ voice and piano ], Paris, M. Joyeux [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Émile Lambelin (1910 - 1965), "Complainte de Gaspard", 1952 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Georges Moustaki (1934 - 2013), "Gaspard", 1969, published 1982 [ voice and guitar ], from Vingt succès [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Émile-Barthélemy Passani , "Chanson de Gaspard", 1946 [ voice and piano ], from Trois poèmes de Verlaine, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Paule Perrin (1906 - 1959), "Gaspard Hauser chante", published [1959] [ voice and piano ], Paris, P. Perrin [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Wilhelm Rettich (1892 - 1988), "Gaspard Hauser chante", op. 60 no. 4 [ voice and orchestra ], from Paul Verlaine chante. Cinq poésies pour une voix et orchestre, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Denise Isabelle Roger (1924 - 2005), "Gaspard Hauser chante", 1963, copyright © 1978, first performed 1973 [ high voice and piano ], from Trois Poèmes de Paul Verlaine, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Théodore Terestchenko (1888 - 1950), "Gaspard Hauser", published [1913] [ voice and piano ], from Quatre mélodies, no. 1, Paris, Hamelle [sung text not yet checked]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

  • Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Richard Fedor Leopold Dehmel (1863 - 1920) , "Lied Kaspar Hausers" ; composed by Franz Dannehl, Felix Wolfes.
    • Go to the text.
  • Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Stefan George (1868 - 1933) , no title, appears in Zeitgenössische Dichter, in Frankreich, in Paul Verlaine, in Aus: Weisheit ; composed by Bernhard Blau.
    • Go to the text.

Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • ENG English (Peter Low) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2007-06-08
Line count: 17
Word count: 102

I came, a calm orphan
Language: English  after the French (Français) 
   Gaspar Hauser sings:
 
I came, a calm orphan,
with no wealth but my peaceful eyes,
among the men of the cities:
they did not find me clever.
 
At age twenty a new turmoil
- it is known as amorous flames -
made me find women beautiful:
they did not find me handsome.
 
Though lacking a homeland or king
and not being very brave,
I wanted to go to war and die:
death didn't want me.
 
Was I born too early or too late?
What am I doing in this world?
Listen, all of you, I am in deep sorrow:
say a prayer for poor Gaspard.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2021 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 Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), no title, appears in Sagesse, in Sagesse III, no. 4, first published 1880
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website: 2021-03-11
Line count: 17
Word count: 104

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–Emily Ezust, Founder

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