Mariya Kaganskaya - Hahn: D'une prison

Reynaldo Hahn (1874-1947): D’une prison (From a prison) | Text: Paul Verlaine (1844-1896)

Performed from home by Mariya Kaganskaya, mezzo-soprano, and Alla Gladysheva, pianist, May 2020 #artsongsforquarantimes

Text/translation:

Le ciel est, par-dessus le toit,
The sky, over the roof,
Si bleu, si calme!
is so blue, so calm!
Un arbre, par-dessus le toit,
A tree, over the roof,
Berce sa palme.
rocks its fronds.

La cloche, dans le ciel qu’on voit
The bell, in the sky one sees,
Doucement tinte.
gently rings.
Un oiseau sur l’arbre qu’on voit
A bird on the tree one sees,
chante sa plainte.
Plaintively sings.

Mon Dieu, mon Dieu, la vie est là
My God, my God, life is there,
Simple et tranquille.
simple and tranquil.
Cette paisible rumeur-là
That peaceful murmuring there
Vient de la ville.
comes from the town.

Qu’as-tu fait, ô toi que voilà
What have you done, oh you
Pleurant sans cesse,
crying incessantly,
Dis, qu’as-tu fait, toi que voilà,
tell, what have you done
De ta jeunesse?
with your youth?

Le ciel est, par-dessus le toit,
The sky, over the roof,
Si bleu, si calme…
is so blue, so calm...