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Tes grands yeux doux semblent des îles Qui nagent dans un lac d'azur : [Sous la paix]1 de tes yeux tranquilles, Fais-moi tranquille et fais-moi pur. Ton corps a l'adorable enfance Des clairs paradis de jadis : Enveloppe-moi de silence, [De ton corps blanc comme les lys]2. [Je souffre, j'étouffe, je pleure : Ô mon amour, fais de tes bras, Pour que je m'y perde et j'y meure, Un tombeau que tu m'ouvriras !]3
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with L'Illusion, Troisième édition, Paris, Alphonse Lemerre, 1893, p. 14.
1 Chausson: "Aux fraîcheurs"2 Chausson: "Du silence argenté des lys"
3 Chausson:
Alangui par les yeux tranquilles Des étoiles caressant l'air, J'ai tant rêvé la paix des îles, Sous un soir frissonant et clair !3 Rhené-Baton:
Je souffre, j'étouffe, je pleure; Fais de ton corps, fais de tes bras Afin que je m'y perde et meure Un tombeau que tu m'ouvriras.
Text Authorship:
- by Henri Cazalis (1840 - 1909), as Jean Lahor, "Sérénade mélancolique", appears in L'Illusion, in 1. Chants de l'Amour et de la Mort [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 René-Emmanuel Baton (1879 - 1940), as Rhené-Baton, "Sérénade mélancolique", op. 16 no. 4 (1911), published 1912 [ high voice and piano ], from Cinq mélodies sur des poèmes de Jean Lahor, no. 4, Paris, Éd. Durand [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Charles Bordes (1863 - 1909), "Sérénade mélancolique", op. 8 no. 2, first performed 1890 [ high voice and piano ], from Trois mélodies sur des poèmes de Jean Lahor, no. 2, Éd. Le Bailly, O. Bornemann [sung text not yet checked]
- by René Chansarel (1864 - 1945), "Sérénade", 1902?, published [1902] [ medium voice and piano ], from 4 mélodies, no. 3, Éd. Enoch & Cie. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ernest Amédée Chausson (1855 - 1899), "Sérénade", op. 13 (Quatre mélodies) no. 2 (1887) [ high voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Léon Delafosse (1874 - 1951), "Sérénade Mélancolique" [ medium voice and piano ], Paris, Édition 'Au Ménestrel', Heugel & Cie. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Alfred André Simon Kullmann (1875 - 1963), "Sérénade mélancolique", <<1917 [ high voice and piano ], from Sept mélodies - 1ère série, no. 5, Paris, Éd. L. Grus & Cie [sung text not yet checked]
- by Lucien Lambotte (1888 - 1969), "Sérénade mélancolique", published 1935 [ voice and piano ], from Six Mélodies sur des poèmes de Jean Lahor, no. 3, Paris, Éd. Alphonse Leduc [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Manuel Capdevila i Font) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Paul Hindemith) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 75
Your big, sweet eyes resemble the islands That swim in a lake of azure. Within the peace of your tranquil eyes I am made tranquil and made pure. Your body has the adorable infancy Of lights of paradise long ago: Envelop me in silence Of your body white like the lily. [...]1
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Baton version:
I suffer, I choke, I cry; With your body, With your arms So that I me may get lost and die, Make a tomb that you open to me.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2009 by Paul Hindemith, (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 Henri Cazalis (1840 - 1909), as Jean Lahor, "Sérénade mélancolique", appears in L'Illusion, in 1. Chants de l'Amour et de la Mort
This text was added to the website: 2009-09-17
Line count: 9
Word count: 53