by
Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585)
Que dis tu, que fais tu, pensive...
Language: French (Français)
R.
Que dis tu, que fais tu, pensive tourterelle,
Dessus cest arbre sec?
T.
Helas je me lamente.
R.
Et pourquoi, di-le moi?
T.
De ma compagne absente,
Plus chere que ma vie.
R.
En quelle part est-elle?
T.
Un cruel oyselleur, par glueuse cautelle
L'a prise et l'a tuée, et nuict et jour je chante
Son trespas dans ces bois, nommant la mort méchante
Qu'elle ne m'a tuée avecques ma fidelle.
R.
Voudrois-tu bien mourir avecques ta compaingne?
T.
Oui, car aussi bien je languis de douleur,
Et toujours le regret de sa mort m'acompaingne.
R.
O gentils oysellets, que vous estes heureus
D'aimer si constamment, qu'heureus est vôtre coeur,
Qui, sans point varier, est tousjours amoureus!
About the headline (FAQ)
R[onsard] & T[ourterelle]
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Ernst Alexander 'Sas' Bunge (1924 - 1980), "À la tourterelle", 1943-44, published 1944 [ medium voice and piano ], from Trois poèmes de Ronsard, no. 2, Amsterdam, Donemus [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gérard Condé (b. 1947), "Que dis-tu", 2009, first performed 2010 [ tenor and piano ], from Marie ! Cinq poèmes de Ronsard, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Roland de Lassus (1532 - 1594), "À la tourterelle" [sung text not yet checked]
Set in a modified version by Guillaume Boni.
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in French (Français), [adaptation] ; composed by Jean de Castro.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (David Wyatt) , "To the turtle-dove", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-10-28
Line count: 26
Word count: 118
To the turtle‑dove
Language: English after the French (Français)
R.
What are you saying and doing, pensive dove,
Under this dry tree?
T.
Alas I lament.
R.
But why, tell me?
T.
For my absent
love, who's more dear than life.
R.
And where's your love?
T.
A cruel birdcatcher with sticky snare
Took and killed her, so night and day
I sing of her fate, calling death unfair
Who didn't kill me with my love this way.
R.
But would you truly die with your companion?
T.
Yes, for sadness fills my life so far
And bitter grief for her that's gone.
R.
O pretty bird, how fortunate you are
To love so constantly, always to long
With unvarying heart and love so strong.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2012 by David Wyatt, (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:
This text was added to the website: 2012-05-18
Line count: 26
Word count: 116