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It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.

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by Fernand Gregh (1873 - 1960)
Translation © by Adam Ewing

La tristesse des menuets
Language: French (Français) 
Our translations:  ENG
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 !

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

•   C. Koechlin 

About the headline (FAQ)

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada and the U.S., but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

View original text (without footnotes)
1 Koechlin: "Puis, s'efface"
2 Koechlin: "qu'on ignore"

Text 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 Caroline Corbin (1876 - 1913), "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 page: Adam Ewing

This text was added to the website: 2012-04-02
Line count: 24
Word count: 102

Minuet
Language: English  after the French (Français) 
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...

Text 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.
    Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

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
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website: 2012-04-02
Line count: 24
Word count: 107

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