by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896)
Translation by Richard Fedor Leopold Dehmel (1863 - 1920)
Je suis venu, calme orphelin
Language: French (Français)
Our translations: ENG
Gaspard Hauser chante : Je suis venu, calme orphelin, Riche de mes seuls yeux tranquilles, Vers les hommes des grandes villes : Ils ne m'ont pas trouvé malin. À vingt ans un trouble nouveau, Sous le nom d'amoureuses flammes M'a fait trouver belles les femmes : Elles ne m'ont pas trouvé beau. Bien que sans patrie et sans roi Et très brave ne l'étant guère, J'ai voulu mourir à la guerre : La mort n'a pas voulu de moi. Suis-je né trop tôt ou trop tard ? Qu'est-ce que je fais en ce monde ? Ô vous tous, ma peine est profonde : Priez pour le pauvre Gaspard !
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), no title, appears in Sagesse, in Sagesse III, no. 4, first published 1880 [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 Tony Aubin (1907 - 1981), "Chanson de Gaspard Hauser", 1932, published 1933 [ voice and piano ], from Six poèmes de Verlaine, no. 4, Paris, Heugel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Jacques Bousquet (1883 - 1939), "Gaspard Hauser chante", published 1911 [ voice and piano ], Paris, Hayet [sung text not yet checked]
- by Marguerite Canal (1890 - 1978), "Je suis venu calme orphelin", published 1931, from Sagesse, no. 2, Paris, Heugel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Édouard-Simon Combe (1866 - 1942), "Chanson de Gaspard Hauser", 1897 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by J.-M. Depelsenaire , "Chanson de Gaspard Hauser", 1972 [ bass and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Francis Dhomont , "Suis-je né trop tôt ?", [1955] [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hector Michel Fraggi (1882 - 1944), "La complainte de Gaspard", published 1934 [ voice and piano ], Vincennes, Ricard [sung text not yet checked]
- by Paule-Émile Gille , "Je suis venu, calme orphelin " [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Olivier Greif (1950 - 2000), "Chanson de Gaspard Hauser", op. 11 (1966) [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Jean Hubeau (1917 - 1992), "Le pauvre Gaspard", 1937 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Maxime Joyeux , "Pauvre Gaspard", published [1954] [ voice and piano ], Paris, M. Joyeux [sung text not yet checked]
- by Émile Lambelin (1910 - 1965), "Complainte de Gaspard", 1952 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Georges Moustaki (1934 - 2013), "Gaspard", 1969, published 1982 [ voice and guitar ], from Vingt succès [sung text not yet checked]
- by Émile-Barthélemy Passani , "Chanson de Gaspard", 1946 [ voice and piano ], from Trois poèmes de Verlaine, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Paule Perrin (1906 - 1959), "Gaspard Hauser chante", published [1959] [ voice and piano ], Paris, P. Perrin [sung text not yet checked]
- by Wilhelm Rettich (1892 - 1988), "Gaspard Hauser chante", op. 60 no. 4 [ voice and orchestra ], from Paul Verlaine chante. Cinq poésies pour une voix et orchestre, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Denise Isabelle Roger (1924 - 2005), "Gaspard Hauser chante", 1963, copyright © 1978, first performed 1973 [ high voice and piano ], from Trois Poèmes de Paul Verlaine, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Théodore Terestchenko (1888 - 1950), "Gaspard Hauser", published [1913] [ voice and piano ], from Quatre mélodies, no. 1, Paris, Hamelle [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Richard Fedor Leopold Dehmel (1863 - 1920) , "Lied Kaspar Hausers" ; composed by Franz Dannehl, Felix Wolfes.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Stefan George (1868 - 1933) , no title, appears in Zeitgenössische Dichter, in Frankreich, in Paul Verlaine, in Aus: Weisheit ; composed by Bernhard Blau.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Peter Low) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2007-06-08
Line count: 17
Word count: 102
Lied Kaspar Hausers
Language: German (Deutsch) after the French (Français)
Ich kam so fromm, ein Waisenkind, Das nichts als seine stillen Augen hat, Zu den Leuten der großen Stadt; Sie fanden mich zu blöd gesinnt. Mit zwanzig Jahren ward ich klug Und fand die Frauen schön und gut; Sie nennen das die Liebesglut. Ich war den Fraun nicht schön genug. Ohne Vaterland und Königshaus, Und wohl auch kein sehr tapfrer Held, Wollt ich den Tod im Ehrenfeld; Der Hauptmann schickte mich nach Haus. Kam ich zu früh kam ich zu spät In diese Welt? Was soll ich hier! Ach Gott, ihr lieben Leute ihr, Sprecht für den Kasper ein Gebet!
Confirmed with Die Lyrik des Auslandes in neuerer Zeit, ed. Hans Bethge, Leipzig: Max Hesses Verlag, 1907, pages 191-192
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Text Authorship:
- by Richard Fedor Leopold Dehmel (1863 - 1920), "Lied Kaspar Hausers" [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), no title, appears in Sagesse, in Sagesse III, no. 4, first published 1880
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Franz Dannehl (1870 - 1947), "Lied Kaspar Hausers", op. 44 no. 5, published 1906 [ voice and piano ], from Im Zeichen Saturns : Fünf Gesänge und Gedichten von Paul Verlaine, no. 5, Tempelhof, Eisoldt & Rohkrämer [sung text not yet checked]
- by Felix Wolfes (1892 - 1971), "Lied Kaspar Hausers", 1926 [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2007-06-08
Line count: 16
Word count: 101