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by Pierre-Jules-Théophile Gautier (1811 - 1872)
Translation © by Barbara Miller
Sur le balcon où tu te penches
Language: French (Français)
Sur le balcon où tu te penches Je veux monter... efforts perdus ! Il est trop haut, et tes mains blanches N'atteignent pas mes bras tendus. Pour déjouer ta duègne avare, Jette [un collier, un ruban]1 d'or ; Ou des cordes de ta guitare Tresse une échelle, ou bien encor... Ôte tes fleurs, défais ton peigne, Penche sur moi tes cheveux longs, Torrent de jais dont le flot baigne Ta jambe ronde et tes talons. Aidé par cette échelle étrange, Légèrement je gravirai, Et jusqu'au ciel, sans être un ange, Dans les parfums je monterai !
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Viardot-García : "un ruban, un collier"
Text Authorship:
- by Pierre-Jules-Théophile Gautier (1811 - 1872), "Sérénade", written 1841, appears in España, first published 1845 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by François Emmanuel Joseph Bazin (1816 - 1878), "L'Échelle d'amour", subtitle: "Sérénade", 1844, published 1845 [ soprano and piano ], Paris, Richault [sung text not yet checked]
- by Lucien Berton , "Sérénade", published 1892 [ soprano and piano ], from Trois mélodies, no. 2, Paris, Laloue [sung text not yet checked]
- by Xavier Boisselot (1811 - 1893), "Sérénade", 1841 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Adolphe Achille Botte (1823 - 1896), "Sur le balcon - Sérénade", <<1856, published <<1856 [ high voice and piano ], Paris, Éd. A. Vialon [sung text not yet checked]
- by Louis-Charles-Bonaventure-Alfred Bruneau (1857 - 1934), "L'Échelle d'amour", published 1932 [ high voice and piano ], from Plein Air, dix poèmes [de Théophile Gautier], no. 8, Paris, Éditions "Au Ménestrel" Heugel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Martial Caillebotte (1853 - 1910), "Sérénade", published 1884 [ high voice and piano ], from Scènes et Mélodies, no. 1, Paris, G. Hartmann [sung text not yet checked]
- by Joseph Canteloube de Malaret (1879 - 1957), "Sérénade", 1902 [ high voice and piano ], Paris, J. Hamelle [sung text not yet checked]
- by Paul-Charles-Marie Curet (1848 - 1917), as Paul Puget, "L'Échelle d'amour", subtitle: "Sérénade", published 1884 [ high voice and piano ], from Vingt mélodies, Vol. 2, no. 5, Paris, Lemoine [sung text not yet checked]
- by Marie Damaschino (1850 - 1921), as Mario Foscarina, "L'Échelle d'amour", subtitle: "Sérénade", published 1884 [ high voice and piano ], from Trois mélodies sur des poèmes de Théophile Gautier, no. 3, Paris, G. Hartmann [sung text not yet checked]
- by Louis Diémer (1843 - 1919), "L'Échelle d'amour", published 1907 [ tenor and piano ], Paris, Durand [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gabriel Fauré (1845 - 1924), "L'Échelle d'amour", mentioned by Charles de Lovenjoul in Bibliographie et littérature, possibly in error [sung text not yet checked]
- by Camille Flotard , "L'Échelle d'amour", subtitle: "Sérénade", published 1878 [ voice and piano ], Paris, Maison Janet [sung text not yet checked]
- by Charles Jean Baptiste Grisart (1837 - 1904), "Sérénade", published 1885 [ high voice and piano ], Paris, Heugel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Édouard de Hartog (1829 - 1909), "Sérénade", published 1851 [ voice and piano ], Paris, Richault [sung text not yet checked]
- by Edmond Hocmelle (1824 - 1895), "Sous un balcon - Sérénade" [ medium voice and piano ], Paris, Schlosser [sung text not yet checked]
- by Paul Xavier Désiré, Marquis Richard d'Ivry (1829 - 1903), "Sérénade", published 1852 [ high voice and piano ], Paris, Richault [sung text not yet checked]
- by Guy de Kervéguen, Vicomte (1857 - 1896), "Sur le balcon où tu te penches", published 1878 [ medium voice and piano ], from Six mélodies avec accompagnement de piano, no. 1, Paris, J. Hamelle [sung text not yet checked]
- by Léon Charles François Kreutzer (1817 - 1868), "Sérénade", published 1847 [ high voice and piano ], from 26 mélodies pour chant et piano, no. 11, Paris, Richault [sung text not yet checked]
- by Grigory Kuchelev-Bezborodko (1832 - 1870), "Sérénade", published 1863 [ medium voice and piano ], Paris, Moucelot [sung text not yet checked]
- by Julie Legoux, Baronne (1842 - 1891), as Gilbert des Roches, "L'Échelle d'amour", subtitle: "Sérénade", published 1878 [ high voice and piano ], Paris, Choudens [sung text not yet checked]
- by Charles(-Henri) Magner (d. 1893), "Sérénade", published 1876 [ high voice and piano ], Paris, F. Schoen [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gottfried Mann (1858 - 1904), "Sérénade", 1896 [ three-part women's chorus, violins, and piano ], from Deux chœurs pour 3 voix de femme avec violons et piano, no. 1, Amsterdam, De Algemeene Muziekhandel [sung text not yet checked]
- by C. Padieu, Mme. , "Sérénade" [sung text not yet checked]
- by Georges Pantillon (1870 - 1962), "L'Échelle d'amour", op. 13 no. 3 (1927) [ four-part men's chorus a cappella ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Felipe Pedrell (1841 - 1922), "L'Échelle d'amour", subtitle: "Sérénade", published 1877 [ high voice and piano ], from Consolations - 12 Mélodies sur des poésies de Théophile Gautier, no. 1, Milan: Francesco Lucca [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Jules Philipot (1824 - 1897), "Sérénade", op. 123, published 1874 [ tenor or mezzo-soprano and piano ], from Poèmes et Chants, Poésies de Théophile Gautier, no. 4, Paris, L. Grus [sung text not yet checked]
- by Adolphe Piriou (1878 - 1964), "L'Échelle d'amour", 1902 [ soprano and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Victor Roger, fils (1853 - 1903), "Sérénade", published 1876 [ high voice and piano ], from 2 Mélodies, no. 2, Paris, Heugel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Armand Ruber , "L'Échelle d'amour", subtitle: "Sérénade" [sung text not yet checked]
- by Pauline Viardot-García (1821 - 1910), "Sérénade", VWV: 1120 (1882), published 1884 [ voice and piano ], from Six mélodies. Deuxième série, no. 3, Paris, Éditions "Au Ménestrel" Heugel [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Edmond Viault (1834 - ?), "Sérénade", op. 9 no. 3, published 1862-6 [ tenor or soprano and piano ], from 22 Scènes, mélodies et couplets, no. 3, Paris, Richault [sung text not yet checked]
- by E. Weber , "Sérénade espagnole" [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- CZE Czech (Čeština) (Jaroslav Vrchlický) , "Žebřík lásky"
- ENG English (Barbara Miller) , "Serenade", copyright © 2004, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: John Versmoren
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 94
Serenade
Language: English after the French (Français)
To the balcony from which you lean I want to rise, wasted effort! It is too high, and your white hands Don't reach my outstretched arms! In order to thwart your greedy duenna, Throw a ribbon, a golden necklace Or some strings from your guitar. Weave a ladder, or still better Take off some flowers, undo your comb, Lean down to me your long hair, Torrents of jet black of which the waves bathe Your round leg and your heels. Helped by this strange ladder, Lightly I will climb And even to the sky without being an angel, In the sweet fragrances I will rise.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2004 by Barbara Miller, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Pierre-Jules-Théophile Gautier (1811 - 1872), "Sérénade", written 1841, appears in España, first published 1845
This text was added to the website: 2004-04-27
Line count: 16
Word count: 105