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Les grands Jasmins épanouis Vibrent dans les chaudes ténèbres... Seuls, les Parfums régnent, funèbres, Sur les jardins évanouis. La phalène en silence vers La flamme d'or se précipite. Dans l'obscurité qui palpite Tes yeux verts rêvent, grands ouverts. Tes yeux verts, ô ma Bien-Aimée, Rêvent dans l'ombre parfumée D'affreux supplices pour les cœurs ; Et ton nez irrité respire Dans l'étouffement des odeurs Des fêtes sanglantes d'empire !
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Text Authorship:
- by Albert Victor Samain (1858 - 1900), written 1893, appears in Au jardin de l'Infante, in 1. Les Heures d'été, no. 4, Paris, Éd. du Mercure de France, first published 1897 [author's text not yet checked 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 René-Emmanuel Baton (1879 - 1940), as Rhené-Baton, "Les grands Jasmins", op. 14 no. 4 (1907), published 1908-1910 [ high voice and piano ], from Les heures d'été, no. 4, Paris, Éd. Durand [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Swan Hennessy (1866 - 1929), "Les Grands jasmins épanouis", op. 56 no. 2, published 1925 [ voice and piano ], Paris : Max Eschig, [sung text not yet checked]
- by May (Toupie) Lowther (1874? - 1944), "Tes yeux verts", published 1925 [ voice and piano ], from Trois mélodies, no. 1, Paris, Maurice Sénart [sung text not yet checked]
- by Jacques Vaucamps , "Les grands jasmins épanouis", published 1919 [ high voice and piano ], from Les Heures d'été, no. 4, Éd. Albert Zunz Mathot [sung text not yet checked]
- by Adolf Waterman (1886 - 1966), "Les grands jasmins épanouis", copyright © 1927 [ voice and piano ], from Heures d'été, no. 4, Paris : Costallat [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Grant Hicks) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Grant Hicks [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2014-01-27
Line count: 14
Word count: 66
The great Jasmines in blossom Tremble in the sultry darkness... Scents alone rule, mournful, Over the faded gardens. Silently the moth hurls itself At the golden flame. In the throbbing darkness Your green eyes dream, wide open. Your green eyes, O my Beloved, Dream in the scented shadow Of frightful tortures of the heart; And your irritated nose breathes Amid the suffocating odors Of bloody festivals of empire.
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of titles:
"Les Grands jasmins épanouis" = "The Great Jasmines in Blossom"
"Les grands Jasmins" = "The Great Jasmines"
"Les grands jasmins épanouis" = "The Great Jasmines in Blossom"
"Tes yeux verts" = "Your Green Eyes"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2026 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.
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Albert Victor Samain (1858 - 1900), written 1893, appears in Au jardin de l'Infante, in 1. Les Heures d'été, no. 4, Paris, Éd. du Mercure de France, first published 1897
This text was added to the website: 2026-10-28
Line count: 14
Word count: 68