(2001)
The Trois Chansons were commissioned by the National Library of Paris for baritone Ludovic de San and pianist Noël Lee.
Texts by Robert Desnos, Pierre Reverdy and Philippe Soupault.
1.Bonjour bonsoir…Good day good evening
Robert Desnos (1900-1945) – translation Amy Levin
(there is no permission to publish the poem on this website)
Il est nuit […]
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[…] se proménera
It’s night be the flame
And the red that colors the clouds
Good day sir Good evening madam
You don’t look your age
What does it matter if your embraces
Make the twin stars bleed
What does it matter if your face is painted
If hoarfrost glitters on the branches
Of granite or marble
Your age will show
And the shade of the great trees
Will walk on your graves
2.Les traits du ciel…The traits of the sky
Pierre Reverdy (1889-1960), translation Amy Levin
Le feu qui danse
L’oiseau qui chante
Le vent qui meurt
Les vagues de la glace
Et les flots de rumeur
Dans l’oreille les cris lointains
du jour qui passe
toutes les flames lasses
la voix du voyageur
Toute la poudre au ciel
Le talon sur la terre
L’oeil fixé sur la route
où les pas sont inscrits
Que le nombre dérôule
Aux noms qui sont partis
Dans les plis des nuages
le visage inconnu
Celui qui l’on regarde
Et qui n’est pas venu
The fire that dances
The bird that sings
The wind that dies
The icy waves
And the surges of rumor
In the ear the distant cries
of the day that passes
all the weary flames
the voice of the voyager
All the powder in the sky
The heel on the earth
The eye fixed on the road
where steps are inscribed
Which the number unrolls
To the names that have left
In the folds of the clouds
the unknown face
The one which you watch
And which has not come
3. Articles de sport…Sport articles
Philippe Soupault (1897-1990) – translation Johannes Beilharz
Courageux comme un timbre-poste
Il allait son chemin
En tapant doucement dans ses mains
Pour compter ses pas
Son coeur rouge comme un sanglier
Frappait frappait
Comme un papillon rose et vert
De temps en temps
Il plantait un petit drapeau de satin
Quand il eut beaucoup marché
Il s’assit pour se reposer
Et s’endormit
Mais depuis ce jour il y a beaucoup de
nuages dans le ciel
beaucoup d’oiseaux dans les arbres
et beaucoup de sel dans la mer
il y a encore beaucoup d’autres choses
Courageous like a stamp
he went his way
tapping softly in his hands
to count his steps
his heart red as a boar
beat beat
like a pink green butterfly
Now and then
he planted a little satin flag
When he had walked a lot
he sat down to rest
and fell asleep
But since that day there have been
many clouds in the sky
many birds in the trees
and there’s been a lot of salt in the sea
There also have been lots of other things
For these songs a grand piano with a third pedal is required.
All songs performed by Mattijs van de Woerd, baritone; David Bollen, piano.