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Oh! si jamais, pendant la nuit, Lorsque la paix règne sur terre, Lorsque la lune au ciel pâlit Et des tombeaux blanchit la pierre, Si du cercueil, rompant la loi, Les morts désertent leur demeure, Entends ma voix toi que je pleure Et de la mort reviens à moi. Reviens, ainsi que le trépas t'a faite En un jour de vengeance, Quand pâle et froide entre mes bras Tu succombas à ta souffrance. Reviens, étoile, feu du soir, Accord plaintif, vapeur légère, Spectre drapé dans un suaire, Qu'importe à moi? je veux te voir! Je ne prétends, par ton secours, Ni dévoiler l'horrible crime Qui me ravit mes seuls amours, Ne de la mort sonder l'abîme, Ni dans mon coeur au désespoir Tuer le doute, non je t'aime Entends ce cri, toujours le même, Surtout reviens, je veux te voir.
Authorship:
- by Louis Pomey (1835 - 1901), "Évocation" [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Russian (Русский) by Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799 - 1837), first published 1830
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Pauline Viardot-García (1821 - 1910), "Évocation", VWV: 1041 (1863) [ voice and piano ], from Douze Mélodies sur les Poésies Russes, no. 5, Éd. E. Gérard & Cie., anciennement Meissonnier, also set in Russian (Русский), also set in German (Deutsch) [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Barbara Miller) , "Plea", copyright © 2004, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Barbara Miller
This text was added to the website: 2004-07-10
Line count: 24
Word count: 140
Oh, if ever, during the night, while peace reigns on earth, while the moon shines pale in the sky, and whitens the stone of tombs, If from the coffin, breaking the law, The dead desert their home, Hear my voice, you for whom I weep And from death return to me. Return, despite the fact that death took vengeance on you one day, When pale and cold within my arms You gave in to your suffering. Return, [as a] star, fire of the evening, Plaintive chord, light vapor, Spector draped in a shroud, What does it matter to me? I want to see you! I do not pretend, by your help, To unveil the horrible crime That abducted from me my only loves, Nor to fathom the abyss of death, Nor within my heart, into despair To kill doubt, no I love you, Hear this cry, always the same, Above all return, I want to see you.
Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2004 by Barbara Miller, (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 Louis Pomey (1835 - 1901), "Évocation"
Based on:
- a text in Russian (Русский) by Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799 - 1837), first published 1830
This text was added to the website: 2004-07-10
Line count: 24
Word count: 157