La fille aux cheveux de lin
French source:
Charles-Marie-René Leconte de Lisle
Qui chante dès le frais matin?
C’est la fille aux cheveux de lin,
La belle aux lèvres de cerise.
L’amour, au clair soleil d’été,
Avec l’alouette a chanté.
Ta bouche a des couleurs divines,
Ma chère, et tente le baiser!
Sur l’herbe en fleur veux-tu causer,
Fille aux cils longs, aux boucles fines?
L’amour, au clair soleil d’été,
Avec l’alouette a chanté.
Ne dis pas non, fille cruelle!
Ne dis pas oui! J’entendrai mieux
Le long regard de tes grands yeux
Et ta lèvre rose, ô ma belle!
Adieu les daims, adieu les lièvres
Et les rouges perdrix! Je veux
Baiser le lin de tes cheveux,
Presser la pourpre de tes lèvres!
L’amour, au clair soleil d’été,
Avec l’alouette a chanté.
The girl with the flaxen hair
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
who is singing in the cool morning?
It is the girl with the flaxen hair,
the beauty with the cherry lips.
Love, in the clear summer sun,
has sung with the lark.
Your mouth has heavenly colours,
my love, and invites kisses!
Would you like to converse on the flowering grass,
O long-lashed girl with the delicate curls?
Love, in the clear summer sun,
has sung with the lark.
Do not say no, cruel girl!
Do not say yes! I would sooner listen
to the long look of your wide-open eyes
and your delicate mouth, O my love!
Farewell to the deer, farewell to the hares
and the russet partridges! I want
to kiss your blonde hair,
press the purple of your lips!
Love, in the clear summer sun,
has sung with the lark.
Translation © Richard Stokes, author of A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)
La fille aux cheveux de lin
French source:
Charles-Marie-René Leconte de Lisle
The girl with the flaxen hair
English source:
Richard Stokes
Sur la luzerne en fleur assise,
Seated among the flowering alfalfa,
Qui chante dès le frais matin?
who is singing in the cool morning?
C’est la fille aux cheveux de lin,
It is the girl with the flaxen hair,
La belle aux lèvres de cerise.
the beauty with the cherry lips.
L’amour, au clair soleil d’été,
Love, in the clear summer sun,
Avec l’alouette a chanté.
has sung with the lark.
Ta bouche a des couleurs divines,
Your mouth has heavenly colours,
Ma chère, et tente le baiser!
my love, and invites kisses!
Sur l’herbe en fleur veux-tu causer,
Would you like to converse on the flowering grass,
Fille aux cils longs, aux boucles fines?
O long-lashed girl with the delicate curls?
L’amour, au clair soleil d’été,
Love, in the clear summer sun,
Avec l’alouette a chanté.
has sung with the lark.
Ne dis pas non, fille cruelle!
Do not say no, cruel girl!
Ne dis pas oui! J’entendrai mieux
Do not say yes! I would sooner listen
Le long regard de tes grands yeux
to the long look of your wide-open eyes
Et ta lèvre rose, ô ma belle!
and your delicate mouth, O my love!
Adieu les daims, adieu les lièvres
Farewell to the deer, farewell to the hares
Et les rouges perdrix! Je veux
and the russet partridges! I want
Baiser le lin de tes cheveux,
to kiss your blonde hair,
Presser la pourpre de tes lèvres!
press the purple of your lips!
L’amour, au clair soleil d’été,
Love, in the clear summer sun,
Avec l’alouette a chanté.
has sung with the lark.
Composer
Claude Debussy
(Achille) Claude Debussy was a French composer. He is sometimes seen as the first Impressionist composer, although he vigorously rejected the term. He was among the most influential composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Please click…
Poet
Charles-Marie-René Leconte de Lisle
Charles Marie René Leconte de Lisle was a French poet of the Parnassian movement. He is traditionally known by his surname only, Leconte de Lisle. Leconte de Lisle was born on the French overseas island of La Réunion, in the Indian Ocean. He…
Performances
Previously performed at:
- 17. Britten, Strauss and French Song: Lucy Crowe & Anna Tilbrook 12 Oct 2020
- Debussy: A Life in Song 13 Oct 2018