Songs

Le trébuchet

by Hector Berlioz

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Text & Translation

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Le trébuchet

Lison guettait une fauvette
Dans un buisson.
Tout auprès, l'amour en cachette
Guettait Lison.
L'oiseau s'enfuit; Lise, surprise
Par un amant,
Au trébuchet se trouva prise,
Ne sais comment.

Le bergerette, avec courage
Luttant déjà,
Du joli piège sous I'ombrage
Se dégagea.
Deux jours après, l'âme brûlante,
D'un doux émoi,
Elle revint, pâle et tremblante,
Ne sais pourquoi.

Deux jours plus tard, grandes alarmes.
Pauvre Lison
Attendit seule et toute en larmes,
Près du buisson.
Le beau berger guettait loin d'elle
Minois piquant.
Il reviendra vers sa fidèle,
On ne sait quand.

_Stanza 1 - Antoine de Bertin (1752 - 1790)_
_Stanzas 2-3 - Émile Deschamps (1791 - 1871)_

The snare
English translation © Richard Stokes

Liza lay in wait for a warbler
In a bush.
Just nearby, love secretly
Lay in wait for Liza.
The bird flew off; Liza, surprised
By a lover,
Was caught in the snare,
There’s no telling how.

The shepherdess struggled
Courageously,
Broke free from the pretty snare
Beneath the shade of the trees.
Two days later, her soul on fire,
With sweet emotion
She returned, pale and trembling,
There’s no telling when.

And two days later – what commotion –
Poor Liza waited alone and all in tears,
Near the bush.
The handsome shepherd lay in wait far away
For a saucy little face.
He’ll return to his faithful love,
There’s no telling when.

Le trébuchet

The snare
English source: Richard Stokes

Lison guettait une fauvette
Liza lay in wait for a warbler
Dans un buisson.
In a bush.
Tout auprès, l'amour en cachette
Just nearby, love secretly
Guettait Lison.
Lay in wait for Liza.
L'oiseau s'enfuit; Lise, surprise
The bird flew off; Liza, surprised
Par un amant,
By a lover,
Au trébuchet se trouva prise,
Was caught in the snare,
Ne sais comment.
There’s no telling how.

Le bergerette, avec courage
The shepherdess struggled
Luttant déjà,
Courageously,
Du joli piège sous I'ombrage
Broke free from the pretty snare
Se dégagea.
Beneath the shade of the trees.
Deux jours après, l'âme brûlante,
Two days later, her soul on fire,
D'un doux émoi,
With sweet emotion
Elle revint, pâle et tremblante,
She returned, pale and trembling,
Ne sais pourquoi.
There’s no telling when.

Deux jours plus tard, grandes alarmes.
And two days later – what commotion –
Pauvre Lison
Poor Liza waited alone and all in tears,
Attendit seule et toute en larmes,
Near the bush.
Près du buisson.
The handsome shepherd lay in wait far away
Le beau berger guettait loin d'elle
For a saucy little face.
Minois piquant.
He’ll return to his faithful love,
Il reviendra vers sa fidèle,
There’s no telling when.
On ne sait quand.

_Stanza 1 - Antoine de Bertin (1752 - 1790)_
_Stanzas 2-3 - Émile Deschamps (1791 - 1871)_

Composer

Hector Berlioz

Louis-Hector Berlioz (11 December 1803 – 8 March 1869) was a French Romantic composer. His output includes orchestral works such as the Symphonie fantastique and Harold in Italy, choral pieces including the Requiem and L'Enfance du Christ, his three…

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