Le secret
French source:
Armand Silvestre
Le nom que j’ai dit à la nuit,
Et qu’au vent de l’aube, sans bruit,
Comme une larme il s’évapore.
Je veux que le jour le proclame
L’amour qu’au matin j’ai caché,
Et, sur mon cœur ouvert penché,
Comme un grain d’encens il l’enflamme.
Je veux que le couchant l’oublie
Le secret que j’ai dit au jour
Et l’emporte, avec mon amour,
Aux plis de sa robe pâlie!
The secret
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Of the name I told to the night,
And that in the dawn breeze, silently,
It would vanish like a tear.
Would that the day might proclaim it,
The love I hid from the morn,
And poised above my open heart,
Like a grain of incense kindle it.
Would that the sunset might forget,
The secret I told to the day,
And would carry it and my love away
In the folds of its faded robe!
Translation © Richard Stokes, from A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)
Le secret
French source:
Armand Silvestre
The secret
English source:
Richard Stokes
Je veux que le matin l’ignore
Would that the morn were unaware
Le nom que j’ai dit à la nuit,
Of the name I told to the night,
Et qu’au vent de l’aube, sans bruit,
And that in the dawn breeze, silently,
Comme une larme il s’évapore.
It would vanish like a tear.
Je veux que le jour le proclame
Would that the day might proclaim it,
L’amour qu’au matin j’ai caché,
The love I hid from the morn,
Et, sur mon cœur ouvert penché,
And poised above my open heart,
Comme un grain d’encens il l’enflamme.
Like a grain of incense kindle it.
Je veux que le couchant l’oublie
Would that the sunset might forget,
Le secret que j’ai dit au jour
The secret I told to the day,
Et l’emporte, avec mon amour,
And would carry it and my love away
Aux plis de sa robe pâlie!
In the folds of its faded robe!
Composer
Gabriel Fauré
"Gabriel Urbain Fauré (12 May 1845 – 4 November 1924) was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th-century composers. Among his…
Poet
Armand Silvestre
Paul-Armand Silvestre, French poet and conteur, was born in Paris. He studied at the École polytechnique with the intention of entering the army, but in 1870 he entered the department of finance. He had a successful official career, was decorated…
Performances
Previously performed at:
- Gabriel Fauré 21 Oct 2024
- Debussy, Fauré & Chausson: Marie-Laure Garnier, Jean-Christophe Lanièce, Anne Le Bozec 13 Oct 2018