by Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885)
Translation Singable translation by Samuel Byrne (flourished 1889)
Il était une fois
Language: French (Français)
Il était une fois Un jardin, et j'y vis madame Rosemonde; L'air était plein d'oiseaux les plus charmants du monde; Quelle ombre dans les bois! Il était une fois Une source, et j'y vins boire avec Rosemonde; Des naïades passaient, et je voyais dans l'onde Des perles à leurs doigts. Il était une fois Un baiser, qu'en tremblant, je pris à Rosemonde, -- Tiens, regarde, ils sont deux, dit une nymphe blonde. -- Non, dit l'autre, ils sont trois. Il était une fois Une fleur, qui sortit du coeur de Rosemonde; C'est mon âme. Et je brûle, et dans la nuit profonde. J'entends chanter des voix.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885), "Il était une fois", written 1861, appears in Toute la lyre - nouvelle série, in 7. Tout la lyre - VII., in 23. Chansons, no. 2 [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 Mario Persico (1892 - 1977), "Rosemonde" [ voice and piano ], Milan, CURCI [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ernest Tessier (1851 - 1909), as Ernest Lavigne, "Rosemonde" [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English [singable] (Samuel Byrne) , "Rosemonde"
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: 104
Rosemonde
Language: English after the French (Français)
Long ago there was A garden, where I saw the Lady Rosemonde; The air was full of birds, the nicest in the world; What shade in the woods! Long ago there was A spring, and there I drank with dear Rosemonde; The naiads were passing, and I saw in the mist Pearly rings on their fingers. Long ago there was A sweet kiss, which trembling I took to Rosemonde. "Here, behold! there are two!" said a fair nymph blonde. The other said, "there are three!" Long ago there was A flower which had bloom'd in the heart of Rosemonde, 'Tis my soul, and I burn, and in the night's deep gloom I hear strange voices sing.
Text Authorship:
- Singable translation by Samuel Byrne (flourished 1889), "Rosemonde" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885), "Il était une fois", written 1861, appears in Toute la lyre - nouvelle série, in 7. Tout la lyre - VII., in 23. Chansons, no. 2
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
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: 116