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TH 108
Six French Songs
Шесть Французский романсов
With piano accompaniment, Op. 65 (1888).
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No
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Title
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Key
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Text
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Dedication |
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1
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Sérénade (Où vas-tu, souffle d'aurore)
Серенада (Ты куда летишь) |
D major |
Edouard Turquety, from his poem Aurore in th
collection Amour et Foi (by 1833). |
Désirée Artôt-Padilla
(all 6 songs) |
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2 |
Déception
Разочарование |
E minor |
Paul Collin, from his poem of the same name in the cycle Mélodies
(by 1878). |
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3 |
Sérénade (J'aime dans le rayon)
Серенада (В ярком свете зари) |
B-flat major |
Paul Collin, from his poem Sérénade in the cycle Mélodies
(by 1878). |
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4 |
Qu'importe que l'hiver
Пуская зима |
D minor |
Paul Collin, from an untitled poem in his cycle Poëme d'Octobre
(by 1878). |
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5 |
Les larmes
Слезы |
G major |
Augustine-Malvine Blanchecotte [1], from her poem of the same name
(by 1874). |
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6 |
Rondel
Рондел |
G major |
Paul Collin, from his poem of the same name in the cycle Mélodies
(by 1878). |
- Composed October 1888(?).
- Scored for medium voice (Nos. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6) or low voice (No. 2) with
piano.
- Average duration: 15m.
- See also the unrealized French Songs
(1888).
History
The idea for the romances arose from Tchaikovsky's meeting with Désirée Artôt in Berlin during
his foreign tour. Tchaikovsky met with her for the first time in twenty years
on 23 January/4 February 1888 [2]. On 26 January/7 February the composer spent an evening
with Désirée Artôt [3], during which
she asked him to write a romance for her.
The origins of the romances' composition can be inferred from Tchaikovsky's
correspondence with Désirée Artôt.
The latter wrote on 2/14 April 1888: "I am impatiently awaiting my Lied,
which you promised me. I need not tell you that, allowing for my voice, I shall
put all my soul into it" [4].
Tchaikovsky replied on 16/28 May: "Do not take it as a mere compliment it tell
you that the memory of our wonderful evening at 17 Landgrafstraße will literally
be forever imprinted on my mind ... Of course I will write the Lied you
honoured me by requesting. But permit me to do it a little later, since at the
moment I have a large work on my hands, and I want to write something worthy
of you, which I cannot do until this task is completed. The Lied will
be ready no later than August" [5]. In a letter from Désirée Artôt to Tchaikovsky
we read: "I want to reassure you regarding the Lied, which I asked you
for... that there is no need to hurry. If one day you write some Lieder and think that I could perform one of them well, then just think of dedicating
it to me - that's all I would like" [6].
During the summer, the composer’s time was taken up with various works, and
the last of these - the overture-fantasia Hamlet- was completed on 7 October.
On 8 October, Tchaikovsky wrote to Anna Merkling: "Now... all
my main works are already finished and only trifles remain, which should be
done by the end of the month" [7]. According to a note on the fair copy of the manuscript,
the romances were finished on 10 October 1888.
They were soon on their way to Petr Jurgenson, to whom Tchaikovsky
wrote on 16 October: "Partly in view of the speed with which I wrote these romances
and their small size, but chiefly because you will have to pay for a translation,
I’ve decided that I don't want more than 300 roubles from you" [8]. In the same
letter, the composer asked for a copy of the romances to be given to the singer, Elizaveta Lavrovskaia,
at her request.
On 17/29 October 1888, Tchaikovsky wrote to Désirée Artôt: "I have just
delivered to my publisher, P.
Jurgenson, 6 mélodies which I have written for you, and for which
I ask you to consent to accept the dedication. I have tried to please you and
I think you could sing all of them - in other words, all six will suit the present
range of your voice. I would very much hope that these melodies will please
you, but unfortunately, I am not at all sure. I must confess to you that I have
been working too much of late, and it is more than probable that my new compositions
are rather the product of good intentions than of true inspiration. And
then, one is a little intimidated when one is composing for a singer one considers
the greatest among the great" [9].
Désirée Artôt replied: "I
wished for only one Lied, but you have so generously written six for
me. They say "as generous as a king", but they have forgotten to add "or as
an artist". Naturally I am very curious to make this new acquaintance,
but I do not want to cause you additional work, so I will wait until Jurgenson has published them.
But then ask him to send them to me as soon as possible. I will not thank you,
but you can be sure of my happiness that you have so quickly and finely fulfilled
your promise. I only hope that my talents are worthy of your inspiration" [10].
The first edition of the romances was slightly delayed. On 9 March 1889, Petr Jurgenson reported that
he was sending out the proofs [11]. The romances were not issued until the spring -
probably in April or May 1889 [12]. Around the same 1ime they were printed by Daniel
Rahter in Hamburg [13].
Désirée Artôt received the
romances in August 1889. She wrote to Tchaikovsky: "At last, dear friend, your Lieder are in my hands, waiting to be transferred to my voice. Indeed,
4, 5 and 6 are superb, while the first Sérénade is adorable and has a
charming freshness. La Décéption also pleases me enormously. In short,
I am in love with your new offspring, and so proud that you have created them
with me in mind. One of my students here is already learning them, and many
of others are making ready to perform them in September and October" [14]. "I am falling
more and more in love with your last six Lieder which, as I expected,
are becoming very popular"
[15].
The romances were written to the original French texts of the poems. In the
romances Décéption (No. 2) and Sérénade (No. 3), Tchaikovsky made
some alterations to the Russian translations, which were made for the first
edition by A. Gorchakova [16].
All the romances are dedicated to Désirée Artôt-Padilla.
From: Музыкальное наследие Чайковского (1958), pp.
460-465
English text copyright © 2006 Brett Langston
Texts
1. Sérénade
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Où vas-tu, souffle d'aurore?
Vent de miel qui vient d'éclore,
Fraîche haleine d'un beau jour, d'un beau jour?
Où vas-tu, brise inconstante,
Quand la feuille palpitante
Semble frissonner d'amour?
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Est-ce au fond de la vallée,
Dans la cime échevelée
D'un saule où le ramier dort, le ramier dort?
Poursuis-tu la fleur vermeille,
Où le papillon qu'éveille
Un matin de flamme et d'or? |
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Va plutôt, souffle d'aurore,
Bercer l'âme que j'adore:
Porte à son lit embaumé
L'odeur des bois et des mousses,
Et quelques paroles douces
Comme les roses de mai. |
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L'odeur des bois et des mousses,
Et quelques paroles douces
Comme les roses de mai. |
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Ëdouard Turquety
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2. Déception
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Le soleil rayonnait encore.
J'ai voulu revoir les grands bois,
Où nous promenions autrefois
Notre amour à sa belle aurore.
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Je mi disais: «Sur le chemin,
Je la retrouverai, sans doute:
Ma main se tendra vers sa main,
Et nous nous remettrons en route». |
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Je regarde partout.
En vain! J'appelle!
Et l'écho seul m'écoute!
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O le pauvre soleil pâli!
O les pauvres bois sans ramage!
O, mon pauvre amour,
Quel dommage! Si vite perdu dans l'oubli!
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Paul Collin
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3. Sérénade
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J'aime dans le rayon de la limpide aurore
Le reflet de tes jolis yeux,
Dans le chant matinal de l'oiseau j'aime encore
L'écho de ton rire joyeux.
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Dans le calme des lys j'aime
ta paix séreine,
Dans leur pureté, ta blancheur;
J'aime dans le parfum des roses ton haleine
Et dans leur fraîcheur, ta fraîcheur. |
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Dans la mer que le flux ou le
reflux agite
J'aime tes caprices d'enfant,
Et j'aime les soupirs de ton sein qui palpite
Dans les longues plaintes du vent. |
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J'aime la fière ardeur dont ton coeur sent la flamme
Dans l'éclat du soleil qui luit;
Et j'aime les pudeurs charmantes de ton âme
Dans l'ombre chaste de la nuit.
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J'aime, dans le printemps qui
verdit, la folie
De ta jeunesse et ses espoirs;
Et j'aime la douceur de ta mélancolie
Dans le vague déclin des soirs,
Dans le vague déclin des soirs! |
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Paul Collin
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4. Qu'importe que l'hiver
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Qu'importe que l'hiver éteigne les clartés
Du soleil assombri dans les cieux attristés?
Je sais bien où trouver encore
Les brillants rayons d'une aurore
Plus belle que celle des cieux.
Toi que j'adore,
C'est dans tes yeux!
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Qu'importe que l'hiver ait des
printemps défunts
Dispersé sans pitié les enivrants parfums?
Je sais où trouver, non flétrie,
Malgré les bises en furie,
Une rose encore tout en fleur.
O ma chérie,
C'est dans ton coeur! |
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Ce rayon qui, bravant les ombres
de la nuit,
Toujours splendide et pur au fond de tes yeux luit;
Cette fleur toujours parfumée
Qui dans ton coeur est enfermée
Et qui sait survivre à l'été.
Ma bien aimée,
'est la beauté! |
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Paul Collin
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- 5. Les larmes
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Si vous donnez le calme après tant de secousses,
Si vous courez d'oubli tant de maux dérobés,
Si vous lavez ma plaie et si vous êtes douces,
O mes larmes, tombez! tombez!
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Mais, si comme autrefois vous
êtes meurtrières,
Si vous rongez un coeur qui déjà brûle en soi,
N'ajoutez pas au mal, respectez mes paupières:
O larmes, laissez moi, laissez moi! |
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Oui, laissez moi! je sens ma
peine plus cuisante,
Vous avez évoqué tous mes rêves perdus:
Pitié! pitié! pitié! laisez mourir mon âme agonisante!
Larmes, ne tombez pas! ne tombez pas! |
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Augustine Malvine Blanchecotte
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6. Rondel
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Il se cache dans ta grâce
Un doux ensorcellement.
Pour leur joie et leur tourment
Sur les coeurs tu fais main basse.
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Tous sont pris. Nul ne se lasse
De ce servage charmant.
Il se cache dans ta grâce
Un doux ensorcellement. |
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C'est l'affaire d'un moment,
Ton regard qui sur nous passe
Est le filet qui ramasse
Nos âmes; dieu sait comment!
Il se cache dans ta grâce
Un doux ensorcellement. |
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Paul Collin
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Notes:
- Misattributed to Paul Collin on the autograph score [back]
- See the composer’s diary - Дневники П. И. Чайковского (1923), p. 194 - and also letter 3484 to Modest Tchaikovsky, 23 January/4
February 1888 [back]
- See diary entry for 26 January/7 February 1888 - Дневники П. И. Чайковского (1923), p. 195 [back]
- Letter from Désirée Artôt-Padilla to Tchaikovsky,
2/14 April 1888 - Klin House-Museum Archive [back]
- Letter 3569 to Désirée Artôt-Padilla, 16/28 May 1888.
The "large work" referred to was the Symphony No. 5 [back]
- Letter from Désirée Artôt-Padilla to Tchaikovsky,
21 May/2 June 1888 - Klin House-Museum Archive [back]
- Letter 3691 to Anna Merkling, 8/20 October 1888 [back]
- Letter 3699 to Petr Jurgenson, 16/28 October 1888 [back]
- Letter 3700 to Désirée Artôt-Padilla, 16/28 October
1888 [back]
- Letter from Désirée Artôt-Padilla to Tchaikovsky,
27 October/8 November 1888 - Klin House-Museum Archive [back]
- See letters 3754, 3771 and 3813 to Petr Jurgenson,
4/16 January, 18/30 January and 4/16 March 1889, and Jurgenson’s letters to
Tchaikovsky of 21 January/2 February and 28 February/12 March 1889 [back]
- Passed by the censor on 11 February 1889 [back]
- See letter from Petr Jurgenson to Tchaikovsky, 12/24
August 1889 - Klin House-Museum Archive - and Tchaikovsky’s reply in letter
3921 to Petr Jurgenson, 13/25 August 1889 [back]
- Letter from Désirée Artôt-Padilla to Tchaikovsky,
9/21 August 1889 [back]
- Letter from Désirée Artôt-Padilla to Tchaikovsky,
24 February/8 March 1890 [back]
- See letter from Petr Jurgenson to Tchaikovsky, 17/29
October 1888 - Klin House-Museum Archive [back]
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