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Sous un roi d'Allemagne, ancien, Est mort Gottlieb le musicien. On l'a cloué sous les planches. Hou ! hou ! hou ! Le vent souffle dans les branches. Il est mort pour avoir aimé La petite Rose-de-Mai. Les filles ne sont pas franches. Hou ! hou ! hou ! Le vent souffle dans les branches. Elle s'est mariée, un jour, Avec un autre, sans amour. "Repassez les robes blanches!" Hou ! hou ! hou ! Le vent souffle dans les branches. Quand à l'église ils sont venus, Gottlieb à l'orgue n'était plus, Comme les autres dimanches. Hou ! hou ! hou ! Le vent souffle dans les branches. Car depuis lors, à minuit noir, Dans la forêt on peut le voir À l'époque des pervenches. Hou ! hou ! hou ! Le vent souffle dans les branches. Son orgue a les pins pour tuyaux. Il fait peur aux petits oiseaux. Morts d'amour ont leurs revanches. Hou ! hou ! hou ! Le vent souffle dans les branches.
First appeared in the revue La Parodie, September 1, 1869, with music by Armand Gouzien.
Text Authorship:
- by Charles Cros (1842 - 1888), "L'Orgue", written 1869?, appears in Le Coffret de Santal, in Chansons perpétuelles, no. 3, first published 1869 [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 Henri-Paul Büsser (1872 - 1973), "L'Orgue", op. 5 no. 3 (1894) [ baritone or mezzo-soprano and piano ], from Chansons perpétuelles de Charles Cros, no. 3, Éd. Léon Grus [sung text not yet checked]
- by Cécile Chaminade (1857 - 1944), "L'Orgue", published 1901 [ low voice and piano ], Éd. Enoch [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Armand Gouzien (1839 - 1892), "L'Orgue", 1869?, published 1869 [ medium voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Louise-Marie Simon (1903 - 1990), as Claude Arrieu, "L'Orgue", published 1957 [ baritone or mezzo-soprano and piano ], Paris, Éd. Ricordi [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Grant Hicks) , "The Organ", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2007-10-01
Line count: 30
Word count: 149
Under a king of Germany, long ago, Died Gottlieb the musician. He was nailed under the boards. Hou! Hou! Hou! The wind blows in the branches. He died for having loved Little Rose-of-May. Girls are not straightforward. Hou! Hou! Hou! The wind blows in the branches. She was married, one day, To another, lovelessly. "Iron the white dresses!" Hou! Hou! Hou! The wind blows in the branches. When they got to the church, Gottlieb was no longer at the organ, As on other Sundays. Hou! Hou! Hou! The wind blows in the branches. For since then, at black midnight, He can be seen in the forest During periwinkle season. Hou! Hou! Hou! The wind blows in the branches. His organ has pine trees for pipes. It frightens the little birds. Those who die for love have their revenge. Hou! Hou! Hou! The wind blows in the branches.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2025 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. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Charles Cros (1842 - 1888), "L'Orgue", written 1869?, appears in Le Coffret de Santal, in Chansons perpétuelles, no. 3, first published 1869
This text was added to the website: 2025-05-04
Line count: 30
Word count: 147