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Il serait plus viril et plus noble sans doute De croiser sur son coeur ses bras las et meurtris, Et de ne point pousser de lamentables cris Comme un enfant perdu la nuit sur la grand' route. Il faudrait, ainsi qu'un cadavre qui dégoûte, Enfouir son amour, en brûler les débris, Et chanter au besoin, et crier qu'on est gris, Et boire en souriant ses larmes goutte à goutte. Mais on est solagé par les pleurs, les sanglots, La rage folle. Ainsi vos mères, matelots, Quand vous êtes noyès par la houle inhumaine, Arrachent des galets au bord du gouffre amer, Et, les jetant aux flots avec des cris de haine, Apaisent leur douleur en outrageant la mer.
Text Authorship:
- by Jean Richepin (1849 - 1926), "Sombres plaisirs", appears in Les Caresses, in 4. Nivôse, no. 22, Paris, Éd. M. Dreyfous, first published 1882 [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 Louis Vierne (1870 - 1937), "Sombres plaisirs", op. 48, Heft 4 (Nivôse) no. 4 (1924), published 1927 [ high voice and piano ], from Le poème de l'amour, no. 15, Éd. Henry Lemoine [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Corinne Orde) , "Somber pleasures", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Francesco Campanella) , "Oscuri piaceri", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Corinne Orde
This text was added to the website: 2007-11-23
Line count: 14
Word count: 118
Più virile e più nobile senza dubbio sarebbe Incrociare sul suo cuore le stanche e martoriate braccia, E non emettere lamentose grida Come bambino perduto di notte su una grande strada. Bisognerebbe, come un cadavere disgustoso Interrare il suo amore, bruciarne i resti, E cantare al bisogno, e gridare che si è ebbri, E bere sorridendo delle sue lacrime goccia a goccia. Ma si è sollevati dalle lacrime, dai singhiozzi, Dalla rabbia folle. Così la vostre madri, o marinai, Quando siete annegati per le inumane onde, Strappano ciottoli al bordo della amara voragine, E, gettandoli alle onde con violento odio, Placano il loro dolore oltraggiando il mare.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to Italian (Italiano) copyright © 2013 by Francesco Campanella, (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 Jean Richepin (1849 - 1926), "Sombres plaisirs", appears in Les Caresses, in 4. Nivôse, no. 22, Paris, Éd. M. Dreyfous, first published 1882
This text was added to the website: 2013-09-02
Line count: 14
Word count: 107