Tarentelle
French source:
Marc Monnier
Il fait grand jour en plein minuit.
Viens avec moi, me disait-elle
Viens sur le sable grésillant
Où saute et glisse en frétillant
La tarentelle...
Sus, les danseurs! En voila deux;
Foule sur l’eau, foule autour d’eux;
L’homme est bien fait, la fille est belle;
Mais gare à vous! Sans y penser,
C’est jeu d’amour que de danser
La tarentelle...
Doux est le bruit du tambourin!
Si j’étais fille de marin
Et toi pêcheur, me disait-elle
Toutes les nuits joyeusement
Nous danserions en nous aimant
La tarentelle...
The moon rises bright in the sky
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Turning midnight into day.
Come with me, she said,
Come to the whirling sands
And the leaping, flashing and turning
Tarantella!
Come! Here are two dancers,
Thronged around in the water;
The man is well-built, the girl beautiful;
But look out! Before you are aware,
You’ll be playing with love if you dance
The tarantella!
Sweet is the sound of the drum!
If I were a sailor’s daughter
And you a fisherman, she said,
Every night, full of joy,
We’d love each other and dance
The tarantella!
Tarentelle
French source:
Marc Monnier
The moon rises bright in the sky
English source:
Richard Stokes
Aux cieux la lune monte et luit.
The moon rises bright in the sky,
Il fait grand jour en plein minuit.
Turning midnight into day.
Viens avec moi, me disait-elle
Come with me, she said,
Viens sur le sable grésillant
Come to the whirling sands
Où saute et glisse en frétillant
And the leaping, flashing and turning
La tarentelle...
Tarantella!
Sus, les danseurs! En voila deux;
Come! Here are two dancers,
Foule sur l’eau, foule autour d’eux;
Thronged around in the water;
L’homme est bien fait, la fille est belle;
The man is well-built, the girl beautiful;
Mais gare à vous! Sans y penser,
But look out! Before you are aware,
C’est jeu d’amour que de danser
You’ll be playing with love if you dance
La tarentelle...
The tarantella!
Doux est le bruit du tambourin!
Sweet is the sound of the drum!
Si j’étais fille de marin
If I were a sailor’s daughter
Et toi pêcheur, me disait-elle
And you a fisherman, she said,
Toutes les nuits joyeusement
Every night, full of joy,
Nous danserions en nous aimant
We’d love each other and dance
La tarentelle...
The tarantella!
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
Marc Monnier
Marc Monnier was a French writer. Monnier was born at Florence. His father was French, and his mother a Genevese; he received his early education in Naples, he then studied in Paris and Geneva, and he completed his education at Heidelberg and…