Pourquoi?
French source:
Olivier Messiaen
Pourquoi les reflets de l’eau,
Pourquoi les nuages du ciel,
Pourquoi?
Pourquoi les feuilles de l’Automne,
Pourquoi les roses de l’Été,
Pourquoi les chansons du Printemps,
Pourquoi?
Pourquoi n’ont-ils pour moi de charmes,
Pourquoi?
Pourquoi, Ah! Pourquoi?
Why?
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Why are the gleaming waters,
Why are the clouds of heaven,
Why?
Why are the leaves of autumn,
Why are the roses of summer,
Why are the songs of spring,
Why?
Why for me are they devoid of charm,
Why?
Why? Ah, why?
Translations by Richard Stokes, from A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)
Pourquoi?
French source:
Olivier Messiaen
Why?
English source:
Richard Stokes
Pourquoi les oiseaux de l’air,
Why are the birds of the air,
Pourquoi les reflets de l’eau,
Why are the gleaming waters,
Pourquoi les nuages du ciel,
Why are the clouds of heaven,
Pourquoi?
Why?
Pourquoi les feuilles de l’Automne,
Why are the leaves of autumn,
Pourquoi les roses de l’Été,
Why are the roses of summer,
Pourquoi les chansons du Printemps,
Why are the songs of spring,
Pourquoi?
Why?
Pourquoi n’ont-ils pour moi de charmes,
Why for me are they devoid of charm,
Pourquoi?
Why?
Pourquoi, Ah! Pourquoi?
Why? Ah, why?
Composer
Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Eugène Prosper Charles Messiaen was a French composer, organist, and ornithologist. He wrote music for chamber ensembles and orchestra, vocal music, as well as for solo organ and piano, and also experimented with the use of novel electronic…
