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Silently she's combing, Combing her long hair, Silently and graciously, With many a pretty air. The sun is in the willow leaves And on the dappled grass, And still she's combing her long hair Before the looking-glass. I pray you, cease to comb out, Comb out your long hair, For I have heard of witchery Under a pretty air, That makes as one thing to the lover Staying and going hence, All fair, with many a pretty air And many a negligence.
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by James Joyce (1882 - 1941), no title, appears in Chamber Music, no. 24, first published 1907 [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 David Arditti (b. 1964), "Silently she's combing", op. 20 no. 15 (1998) [ tenor and string quartet ], from Chamber Music, no. 15 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Jeffrey Cohen (b. 1957), "Silently she's combing" [ soprano and cello ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ross Lee Finney (1906 - 1997), "Silently she's combing", 1952, published 1985, first performed 1975 [ voice and piano ], from Chamber Music, no. 24, Henmar Press [sung text not yet checked]
- by Tibor Serly (1901 - 1978), "Silently she's combing", 1927 [ mezzo-soprano and chamber orchestra ], from Four Songs from "Chamber Music" [sung text not yet checked]
- by Rick Sowash (b. 1950), "Silently she's combing,", 1998 [ mezzo-soprano, viola, clarinet, flute, and piano ], from Along the River, no. 4 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by (Thomas) Gerard Victory (1921 - 1995), "Silently she's combing", 1954 [ tenor, SATB chorus, and instrumental ensemble ], from Five Songs by James Joyce [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , 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: 16
Word count: 82
En silence elle peigne, elle peigne ses longs cheveux, En silence et gracieusement, Avec maints jolis airs. Le soleil est dans les feuilles du saule Et sur l'herbe tachetée, Et toujours elle peigne ses longs cheveux Devant le miroir. Je t'en prie, arrête de te peigner, De peigner tes longs cheveux, Car j'ai entendu parler d'une sorcellerie Sous un air charmant, Qui rend semblable à l'amant Rester et s'en aller, Toute belle, avec maint air charmant Et mainte négligence.
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- Translation from English to French (Français) copyright © 2009 by Guy Laffaille, (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.
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Based on:
- a text in English by James Joyce (1882 - 1941), no title, appears in Chamber Music, no. 24, first published 1907
This text was added to the website: 2009-11-07
Line count: 16
Word count: 79