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Ô monde ! ô vie ! Ô temps ! Fantômes, ombres vaines, Qui lassez à la fin mes pas irrésolus, Quand reviendront ces jours, Où vos mains étaient pleines, Vos regards caressants, Vos promesses certaines ? Jamais, ô jamais plus ! Ô jamais plus ! L'éclat du jour s'éteint Aux pleurs où je me noie ; Les charmes de la nuit Passent inaperçus, Nuit, jour, printemps, hiver, Est-il rien que je voie ? Mon cœur peut battre encor De peine, mais de joie, Jamais ô jamais plus ! Ô jamais plus !
Text Authorship:
- by Sabine-Casimire-Amable Tastu (1795 - 1885), "Plainte", appears in Poésies nouvelles par Mme Amable Tastu, Paris, Denain et Delamare, first published 1835 [author's text not yet checked 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 Théodore Gouvy (1819 - 1898), "Plainte", op. 46 no. 2 [ vocal duet for soprano and contralto with piano ], from 3 élégies à 2 voix, no. 2, Éd. Simon Richault [sung text not yet checked]
- by Darius Milhaud (1892 - 1974), "Plainte", op. 19 no. 1 (1914) [ voice and piano ], from Poèmes romantiques: 2ème série, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Charles Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 - 1921), "Plainte", 1855, published 1856, orchestrated 1915 [ high voice and piano or orchestra ], Éd. Richault [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Edgar Pierre Joseph Tinel (1854 - 1912), "Plainte", op. 40 (Six Mélodies pour chant et piano = Zes Melodiën voor Zang & Piano) no. 5, published 1892 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Faith J. Cormier) , "Lament", copyright © 2003, (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: 19
Word count: 82
Oh, world! Oh, life! Oh, time! Ghosts, vain shadows, who leave my steps irresolute, when will the days return when your hands were full, your glances caressed me, your promises were sure? Never, never again! Oh, never again! Day's brilliance fades in the tears that drown me. The night's charms pass unseen. Night, day, spring, winter, do I see anything at all? My heart can still beat with pain, but as for joy, never, never again! Oh, never again!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2003 by Faith J. Cormier, (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 Sabine-Casimire-Amable Tastu (1795 - 1885), "Plainte", appears in Poésies nouvelles par Mme Amable Tastu, Paris, Denain et Delamare, first published 1835
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 19
Word count: 80