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by Albert Victor Samain (1858 - 1900)
Translation © by Karen Kanakis
Une douceur splendide et sombre
Language: French (Français)
Our translations: ENG
Une douceur splendide et sombre Flotte sous le ciel étoilé. On dirait que, là-haut, dans l'ombre Un paradis s'est écroulé. Et c'est comme l'odeur ardente, L'odeur fiévreuse dans l'air noir, D'une chevelure d'amante Dénouée à travers le soir. Tout l'espace languit de fièvres Du fond des cœurs mystérieux S'en viennent mourir sur les lèvres Des mots qui font fermer les yeux. Et [dans]1 ma bouche où s'évapore Le parfum des bonheurs derniers Et de mon cœur vibrant encore S'élèvent de vagues pitiés. Pour tous ceux-là, qui, sur la terre, Par un tel soir tendant les bras, N'ont point dans leur cœur solitaire Un nom à sangloter tout bas.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Boulanger, Cras: "de"
Text Authorship:
- by Albert Victor Samain (1858 - 1900), no title, appears in Le chariot d'or, in 2. Élégies, no. 4, Paris, Éd. du Mercure de France, first published 1901 [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 Paul Gaudens Albert Adréani , "Élégie", 1917, published <<1919 [ medium voice and piano ], from Les Chansons rêveuses, no. 3, Nice, Éd. Paul Adréani [sung text not yet checked]
- by Albert Bertelin (1872 - 1951), "Une douceur splendide et sombre" [ high voice and piano ], from Chansons intimes. Poésies de A. Samain, no. 2, Paris, Éd. E. Demets [sung text not yet checked]
- by Nadia Boulanger (1887 - 1979), "Élégie", subtitle: "Lent", 1906, published 1909, first performed 1907 [ high voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Jean-Émile-Paul Cras (1879 - 1932), "Soir", 1910, published 1912, first performed 1912 [ high voice and orchestra or piano ], from Elégies, 4 poèmes d' A. Samain, pour chant et orchestre, no. 3, Éd. Durand [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Alfred André Simon Kullmann (1875 - 1963), "Élégie", <<1917 [ medium voice and piano ], from Sept mélodies - 1ère série, no. 2, Paris, Éd. L. Grus & Cie [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ernest Moret (1871 - 1949), "Une douceur splendide et sombre", published 1908 [ medium voice and piano ], from Vingt mélodies, 2ème volume, no. 10, Paris, Éd. Heugel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Jacques Guillaume de Sauville de la Presle (1888 - 1969), "Une douceur splendide et sombre", published 1921 [ voice and piano ], from Trois élégies , no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert Ravarin (1890 - 1917), "Élégie II", 1914 [ high voice and piano or orchestra ], from Mélodies, no. 16 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Netty Roqué , "Elégie", published 1912 [ voice and piano ], from Liederen, no. 1, Amsterdam : Alsbach [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Karen Kanakis) , "Elegy", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Laura L. Nagle
This text was added to the website: 2007-08-28
Line count: 20
Word count: 108
Elegy
Language: English after the French (Français)
A radiant and somber sweetness floats under the starry sky. One would say that up there in the shadow A paradise has collapsed. And it is like an ardent fragrance, A fevered fragrance in the black air of a lover's hair, loosened across the evening. The entire atmosphere burns with fever from the depths of mysterious hearts. Words that make eyes close end up dying on the lips. And from my mouth, from which has evaporated the perfume of past happiness, And from my yet living heart arises a vague pity For all down here who, on the earth on such a night stretch their arms, but do not have in their lonely heart a name to sob to themselves.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2008 by Karen Kanakis, (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:
- a text in French (Français) by Albert Victor Samain (1858 - 1900), no title, appears in Le chariot d'or, in 2. Élégies, no. 4, Paris, Éd. du Mercure de France, first published 1901
This text was added to the website: 2008-03-11
Line count: 20
Word count: 120