The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.
Music files
(Posted 2008-07-12) CPDL #17525 :
Editor: David Newman (submitted 2008-07-12 ) . Score information: Letter, 2 pages, 125 kB Copyright: Public Domain
Edition notes: Cross posting by Art Song Central .
(Posted 2006-03-29) CPDL #11348 : PDF, MIDI and Finale 2005 files available.
Editor: Pierre Gouin (submitted 2006-03-29 ) . Score information: Letter, 4 pages, 124 kB Copyright: Personal
Edition notes: Copyright © Les Éditions Outremontaises, 2006. Scroll down to 3. Les Papillons .
General Information
Title: Les Morts, Op. 17 No. 1)
Composer: Ernest Chausson
Lyricist: Jean Richepincreate page (1849-1926)
Number of voices: 1v Voicing: Soprano solo
Genre: Secular , Chanson
Language: French
Instruments: Piano
First published:
Description:
External websites:
Original text and translations
French text
Les papillons couleur de neige
Volent par essaims sur la mer;
Beaux papillons blancs, quand pourrai-je
Prendre le bleu chemin de l'air.
Savez-vous, ô belle des belles,
Ma bayadère aux yeux de jais,
S'ils me voulaient prêter leurs ailes,
Dites, savez-vous, où j'irais?
Sans prendre un seul baiser aux roses,
À travers vallons et forêts,
J'irais à vos lèvres micloses,
Fleur de mon âme, et j'y mourrais.
English translation
The snow-white butterflies
fly in swarms over the sea.
Beautiful white butterflies, when can I
travel the blue path of the air?
Tell me, oh beauty of beauties,
my dancing-girl with the jet-black eyes -
if they were to lend me their wings,
Tell me, do you know where I would fly?
Not taking one kiss from the roses,
I'd fly across valleys and forests
to alight on your half-closed lips,
Flower of my soul, and there I'd die.