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La tristesse des menuets Fait chanter mes désirs muets Et je pleure, D'entendre frémir cette voix Qui vient de si loin, d'autrefois, Et qui pleure. Chansons frêles du clavecin, Notes grêles, fuyant essaim Qui s'efface, Vous êtes un pastel d'antan Qui s'anime, rit un instant, [Et s'efface]1. Ô chants troublés de pleurs secrets, Chagrins [qui s'ignorent]2, les vrais, Pudeur tendre, Sanglots que l'on cache, au départ Et qui n'osent s'avouer, par Orgueil tendre. Ah ! comme vous broyez les cœrs De vos airs charmants et moqueurs Et si tristes ! Menuets à peine entendus, Sanglots légers, rires fondus, Baisers tristes !
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View original text (without footnotes)1 Koechlin: "Puis, s'efface"
2 Koechlin: "qu'on ignore"
Authorship:
- by Fernand Gregh (1873 - 1960), "Menuet", written 1892, appears in La Maison de l'Enfance, in 9. Musique, no. 3, Paris, Éd. Calmann-Lévy, first published 1897 [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 Germaine Corbin , "Menuet", published 1910 [ voice and piano ], from Six Mélodies, no. 3, Paris, L. Grus & Cie. [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Charles Koechlin (1867 - 1950), "Menuet", op. 5 (Cinq mélodies) no. 4 (1893-97) [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Antoine Mariotte (1875 - 1944), "Menuet", published 1925 [ high voice and piano ], from Intimités, no. 2, Paris, Enoch [sung text not yet checked]
- by Emanuel Moór (1863 - 1931), "Menuets", op. 91 no. 4 [ voice and piano ], from Deuxième Recueil de Mélodies, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Guillermo Uribe Holguín (1880 - 1971), "Menuet", op. 107b (Dos canciones) no. 1, op. 4 (Seis canciones) no. 4 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Adam Ewing) , "Minuet", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Adam Ewing
This text was added to the website: 2012-04-02
Line count: 24
Word count: 101
The sadness of minuets Makes my mute desires sing, And I cry To hear this voice tremble Which comes from so far, from long ago, And which cries. Frail songs of the harpsichord, Thin notes, fleeing swarm Which dissolves, You are a pastel of yesteryear That comes to life, laughs a moment, Then dissolves! Oh troubled songs of secret tears, Sorrows that one knows not, truths, Tender reserve, Sobs that one hides at the start And which dare not confess themselves, by Tender pride, Ah! how you crush hearts With your airs charming and mocking And so sad, Minuets barely heard, Weak sobs, melted laughter, Sad kisses...
Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2012 by Adam Ewing, (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 Fernand Gregh (1873 - 1960), "Menuet", written 1892, appears in La Maison de l'Enfance, in 9. Musique, no. 3, Paris, Éd. Calmann-Lévy, first published 1897
This text was added to the website: 2012-04-02
Line count: 24
Word count: 107