Lorsque la coquette Espérance
Language: French (Français)
Lorsque la coquette Espérance
Nous pousse le coude en passant,
Puis à tire-d'aile s'élance,
Et se retourne en souriant ;
Où va l'homme ? Où son coeur l'appelle.
L'hirondelle suit le zéphyr,
Et moins légère est l'hirondelle
Que l'homme qui suit son désir.
Ah ! fugitive enchanteresse,
Sais-tu seulement ton chemin ?
Faut-il donc que le vieux Destin
Ait une si jeune maîtresse !
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by José André (1881 - 1944), "Lorsque la coquette Espérance", 1928 [ voice and piano ], from Mélodies et chansons, no. 5 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Noël Lee (1924 - 2013), "Fugitive enchanteresse", 2000, published 2000, first performed 2000 [ high voice and piano ], from Interrogations: Quatre mélodies sur des poésies de Musset, no. 4, Édition de l'auteur [sung text not yet checked]
- by Anselme Vinée (1847 - 1921), "Lorsque la coquette Espérance" [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Grant Hicks) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-05-03
Line count: 12
Word count: 59
When flirtatious Hope
Language: English after the French (Français)
When flirtatious Hope
Jogs our elbow in passing,
Then quickly darts away,
And turns round smiling;
Where does a man go? Where his heart calls him.
The swallow follows the breeze,
And the swallow is not as light
As a man following his desire.
Ah! Elusive enchantress,
Do you know only your own path?
Must then ancient Destiny
Have a mistress so young?
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of titles:
"Chanson : Lorsque la coquette Espérance" = "Song: When flirtatious Hope"
"Fugitive enchanteresse" = "Elusive Enchantress"
"Lorsque la coquette Espérance" = "When flirtatious Hope"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2025 by Grant Hicks, (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:
This text was added to the website: 2025-09-24
Line count: 12
Word count: 63
