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by Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852)
Translation by Thomas Gounet (1801 - 1869)

L'origine de la harpe
Language: French (Français)  after the English 
Cette Harpe chérie, à te chanter fidèle,
Était une Sirène, à la voix douce et belle.
On l'entendait au fond des eaux;
Aux approches du soir, glissent sur le rivage,
Elle venait chercher, couverte d'un nuage,
Son amant parmi les roseaux.

Hélas! elle aimait seule, et ses larmes brillantes
Baignèrent bien des nuits ses tresses ondoyantes,
Doux trésors à l'amour si chers.
Mais une flamme pure au Ciel est précieuse.
Il transforma soudain en Harpe harmonieuse
La plaintive vierge des mers. En contours gracieux

Tout son corps se balance;
Sur sa joue on croit voir un rayon d'éspérance,
Et son sein palpiter encor.
Ses cheveux, dégagés du flot qui les inonde,
Recouvrent ses bras blancs qui ne fendront plus l'onde
Et deviennent des cordes d'or.

Aussi pendant longtemps cette Harpe chérie
Disait-elle à la fois la sombre rêverie,
Et d'amour les plaisirs discrets.
Elle soupire encor la joie et la tristesse:
Quand je suis près de toi, les accords d'allégresse;
Loin de toi, le chant des regrets.

Text Authorship:

  • by Thomas Gounet (1801 - 1869) [an adaptation] [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Based on:

  • a text in English by Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852), "The origin of the harp", appears in Irish Melodies, first published 1810
    • Go to the text page.

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Hector Berlioz (1803 - 1869), "L'origine de la harpe", subtitle: "Ballade", op. 2 no. 7 (1829-30), published 1830 [voice and piano or orchestra], from Irlande, neuf mélodies imitées de l’anglais, no. 7, Schlesinger [ sung text checked 1 time]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

  • Also set in Danish (Dansk), a translation by Emil Aarestrup (1800 - 1856) , "Harpens Oprindelse" FRE FRE GER RUS ; composed by Valdemar Fini Henriques.
      • Go to the text.
  • Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist DAN ENG FRE FRE RUS ; composed by Ignaz Brüll.
      • Go to the text.
  • Also set in Russian (Русский), a translation by Lev L'vovich Kobylinsky (1889 - 1947) , appears in Irlandskikh Melodij DAN FRE FRE GER ; composed by Sergei Ivanovich Taneyev.
      • Go to the text.

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2003-11-03
Line count: 24
Word count: 167

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