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Riez-vous ? Ne riez-vous pas ? Quand vous l'avez dit tout à l'heure, Ce mot ! Vous l'avez dit si bas ! ... Je n'ai pas compris, mais je pleure. -- Riez-vous ? Ne riez-vous pas ? Pitié ! votre bouche m'effleure. Ce bruit ! Vous l'avez fait si bas !... Si c'est un baiser, que je meure ! -- Riez-vous ? Ne riez-vous pas ? Si c'est un baiser, que je meure ! Sur mon cou je sens votre bras ... Vous m'avez baisé tout à l'heure ! Je n'ose y croire, mais je pleure. -- Riez-vous ? Ne riez-vous pas ?
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901), no title, appears in Poésies 1861-1874, in 1. Les amours, in 2. Vers pour être chantés, in Mignonne, no. 6 [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 Amédée Dutacq (1848 - 1929), "Riez-vous ? Ne riez-vous pas ?", published 1895 [ medium voice and piano ], from En aimant, douze poésies d'Armand Silvestre, no. 4, Paris, Éd. E. Fromont [sung text not yet checked]
- by Jules Massenet (1842 - 1912), "Riez-vous", op. 14 no. 4 [ voice and piano ], from Poème d'avril, no. 4, also set in German (Deutsch) [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Gaston Serpette (1846 - 1904), "Riez-vous ?", <<1877 [ high voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Jules Massenet.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Peter Low) , "Are you laughing?", copyright © 2002, (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: 14
Word count: 82
Are you laughing? Or aren't you? When just now you said that word - you spoke so softly - I didn't understand, but I'm in tears. Are you laughing? Or aren't you? Have pity! Your lips brush against me; that noise - you made it so softly - if it's a kiss, oh may I die! Are you laughing? Or aren't you? If it's a kiss, oh may I die! I feel your arm on my neck... You kissed me a moment ago! I don't dare believe it, but I'm in tears. Are you laughing? Or aren't you?
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.
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901), no title, appears in Poésies 1861-1874, in 1. Les amours, in 2. Vers pour être chantés, in Mignonne, no. 6
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 14
Word count: 94