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Text & Translation

Fleur Desséchée
French source: Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin trans. Louis Pomey

Dans ce vieux livre l'on t'oublie,
Fleur sans parfum et sans couleur,
Mais une étrange rêverie,
Quand je te vois, emplit mon coeur.

Quel jour, quel lieu te virent naître?
Quel fut ton sort? qui t'arracha?
Qui sait? Je les connus peut-être,
Ceux dont l'amour te conserva!

Rappelais-tu, rose flétrie,
La première heure ou les adieux?
Les entretiens dans la prairie
Ou dans le boix silencieux?

Vit-il encor? existe-t-elle?
À quels rameaux flottent leurs nids!
Ou comme toi, qui fus si belle,
Leurs fronts charmants sont-ils flétris?

Dried Flower
English translation © Oxford Song

In this old book, you've been forgotten,
Scentless and colorless flower.
But seeing you fills my heart
With a strange kind of dream.

What day, what place saw you bloom?
What was your fate? Who plucked you?
Who knows — maybe I once knew
The ones whose love kept you.

Did you recall, faded rose,
The first hour, or the farewells?
The conversations in the meadow,
Or the silent woods?

Does he still live? Does she still exist?
On which branches do their nests hang?
Or like you — once so beautiful —
Are their lovely faces now withered?

Fleur Desséchée
French source: Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin trans. Louis Pomey

Dried Flower
English source: Oxford Song

Dans ce vieux livre l'on t'oublie,
In this old book, you've been forgotten,
Fleur sans parfum et sans couleur,
Scentless and colorless flower.
Mais une étrange rêverie,
But seeing you fills my heart
Quand je te vois, emplit mon coeur.
With a strange kind of dream.

Quel jour, quel lieu te virent naître?
What day, what place saw you bloom?
Quel fut ton sort? qui t'arracha?
What was your fate? Who plucked you?
Qui sait? Je les connus peut-être,
Who knows — maybe I once knew
Ceux dont l'amour te conserva!
The ones whose love kept you.

Rappelais-tu, rose flétrie,
Did you recall, faded rose,
La première heure ou les adieux?
The first hour, or the farewells?
Les entretiens dans la prairie
The conversations in the meadow,
Ou dans le boix silencieux?
Or the silent woods?

Vit-il encor? existe-t-elle?
Does he still live? Does she still exist?
À quels rameaux flottent leurs nids!
On which branches do their nests hang?
Ou comme toi, qui fus si belle,
Or like you — once so beautiful —
Leurs fronts charmants sont-ils flétris?
Are their lovely faces now withered?

Composer

Pauline Viardot

Pauline Viardot, née Garcia (1821-1910) was one of the most remarkable, accomplished musical professionals of the 19th century. Born into a family of music professionals, she wanted to be a pianist, but following the early death of her sister…

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