Le ruisseau

Conductor Notes:

A beautiful and satisfying duet with piano. Vocal ranges are excellent and could be done well by a children’s or youth choir as well as adults. A soprano solo in the middle will give a chorister a great chance to shine.

Text:

Au bord du clair ruisseau croît la fleur solitaire,
dont la corolle brille au milieu des roseaux:
Pensive, elle s’incline et son ombre légère
Se berce mollement sur la moire des eaux.

Ô fleur, ô doux parfum, lui dit le flot qui passe,
A mes tendres accents ta tristesse repond!
A mon suave élan viens marier ta grâce.
Laisse-moi t’entraîner vers l’océan profond!

Mais il l’entoure en vain de sa douce caresse,
Cette flottante image aux incertains contours,
Se dérobe au baiser humide qui l’oppresse,
Et le flot éploré tristement suit son cours!

Translation:

I’ve been told by friend that this translation, which I cobbled together myself, isn’t quite right. Anyone who has a better one, please send it along and I will replace this! Thanks!

Title: The Stream

Beside the clear stream a solitary flower grows,
Whose bloom radiates in the midst of the reeds:
Pensively she leans out and her light shadow
Rocks softly on the surface of the water.

O flower, o sweet perfume, the stream says to her,
Let your sadness respond to my tender words!
Come join your grace to my melodious briskness.
Let me take you away to the deep ocean!

But in vain he enfolds her in his sweet touch,
This floating, shifting image,
She evades his oppressive, humid kisses,
And the stream sadly continues on his way.