Songs

Mandoline

by Gabriel Fauré From Cinq Mélodies «de Venise» (1891) Op. 58

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Text & Translation

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Mandoline
French source: Paul Verlaine

Les donneurs de sérénades
Et les belles écouteuses
Échangent des propos fades
Sous les ramures chanteuses.

C'est Tircis et c'est Aminte,
Et c'est l'éternel Clitandre,
Et c'est Damis qui pour mainte
Cruelle fait maint vers tendre.

Leurs courtes vestes de soie,
Leurs longues robes à queues,
Leur élégance, leur joie
Et leurs molles ombres bleues,

Tourbillonnent dans l'extase
D'une lune rose et grise,
Et la mandoline jase
Parmi les frissons de brise.

Mandolin
English translation © Richard Stokes

The gallant serenaders
And their fair listeners
Exchange sweet nothings
Beneath singing boughs.

Tirsis is there, Aminte is there,
And tedious Clitandre too,
And Damis who for many a cruel maid
Writes many a tender song.

Their short silken doublets,
Their long trailing gowns,
Their elegance, their joy,
And their soft blue shadows

Whirl madly in the rapture
Of a grey and roseate moon,
And the mandolin jangles on
In the shivering breeze.

Translation © Richard Stokes, from A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)

Mandoline
French source: Paul Verlaine

Mandolin
English source: Richard Stokes

Les donneurs de sérénades
The gallant serenaders
Et les belles écouteuses
And their fair listeners
Échangent des propos fades
Exchange sweet nothings
Sous les ramures chanteuses.
Beneath singing boughs.

C'est Tircis et c'est Aminte,
Tirsis is there, Aminte is there,
Et c'est l'éternel Clitandre,
And tedious Clitandre too,
Et c'est Damis qui pour mainte
And Damis who for many a cruel maid
Cruelle fait maint vers tendre.
Writes many a tender song.

Leurs courtes vestes de soie,
Their short silken doublets,
Leurs longues robes à queues,
Their long trailing gowns,
Leur élégance, leur joie
Their elegance, their joy,
Et leurs molles ombres bleues,
And their soft blue shadows

Tourbillonnent dans l'extase
Whirl madly in the rapture
D'une lune rose et grise,
Of a grey and roseate moon,
Et la mandoline jase
And the mandolin jangles on
Parmi les frissons de brise.
In the shivering breeze.

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

Paul Verlaine

Paul-Marie Verlaine was a French poet associated with the Symbolist movement. He is considered one of the greatest representatives of the fin de siècle in international and French poetry. Born in Metz, Verlaine was educated at the Lycée Impérial…

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