by Francis Money-Coutts, 5th Baron Latymer (1852 - 1923)
Translation Singable translation by Michel Dimitri Calvocoressi (1877 - 1944)
The retreat
Language: English
I live no more in the outer world; for me The rose is faded and the wine-cup dry; Not that I fall to vainer apathy, Nor sated with false pleasure, vainly sigh. But having proved the world in all its ways, With sense, with dignity, nor fond nor mad, I find not there a single thing to praise, No, nor a single thing to make me glad. A staggering drunken animal I see, Careering o'er bare mountains and bare plains, Intent upon its own absurdity, And loving pleasure only for its pains; That is the world, ah, friend, let us retire In to the spacious chamber of our mind To sit and talk before the cosy fire And listen to the winter, wailing wind!
Text Authorship:
- by Francis Money-Coutts, 5th Baron Latymer (1852 - 1923), "The retreat", appears in Musa Verticordia, first published 1904 [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 Isaac Albéniz (1860 - 1909), "The retreat", 1908, published 1909 [high voice and piano], from Four songs, no. 3, also set in French (Français) [ sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in French (Français), a translation by Michel Dimitri Calvocoressi (1877 - 1944) SPA ; composed by Isaac Albéniz.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Jean-Pierre Granger) , "La retraite", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Alfredo García) , "El retiro", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Alfredo García
This text was added to the website: 2008-12-06
Line count: 16
Word count: 124
Le refuge
Language: French (Français) after the English
J'ai renoncé à ce monde vain. Pour moi La coupe est vide, le rosier fané ! Pourtant mon cœur n'est pas indifférent, N'est point blasé par les plaisirs trompeurs. Du monde j'ai goûté les biens, les maux, Mon cœur a tout jugé loyalement, Et rien ne m'a séduit, ne m'a souri, Tout m'a paru mesquin, m'a désolé. J'ai vu tituber des êtres vils, flétris, Par les déserts farouches, par les monts Ils poursuivaient leur folle ambition, Et les plaisirs qui causent tous les maux. Tel est le monde, ami, vaut-il mieux Vivre en nous-mêmes, loin des noirs soucis Tout deux causer autour d'un gai foyer Quand au dehors la bise gémira ?
Text Authorship:
- Singable translation by Michel Dimitri Calvocoressi (1877 - 1944) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Francis Money-Coutts, 5th Baron Latymer (1852 - 1923), "The retreat", appears in Musa Verticordia, first published 1904
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Isaac Albéniz (1860 - 1909), "Le refuge", 1908, published 1909 [high voice and piano], from Four songs, no. 3, also set in English [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Guy Laffaille [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2015-09-29
Line count: 16
Word count: 110