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Occitan songs into English
Related thread:
Lyr Req: La Nobia (Occitan song) (8)
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Subject: ADD: CANCON DE LA HIALAIRA From: Monique Date: 13 Feb 09 - 03:22 PM Here are a couple of songs I translated and made singable for Mama Lisa's World and I thought some of you might be interested. While midi files can't be posted, you can hear the tune and see the sheet music here. The first is a spinning song written by Abbot Paul Tallez, a priest from Gers, in Armagnac (where they make good spirit!), Gascony, born in Estang in 1846, dead in Auch in 1930 (so it's in Public Domain now). He was a teacher at Auch seminary. He wrote some poems and songs in Occitan -Gascon dialect-. This song is from a small collection published in 1927 called "Arrepics e cansous" ("Refrains and Songs"), now out of print. The book is on consultation only at Toulouse Occitan Conservatory. CANÇON DE LA HIALAIRA Au ton coenh qu'as un riban blanc Blanc com nèu au sorelh lhevant Bèra hialaira, bèra hialaira Qui hialas deu matin au ser. Ditz-me perqué Vira , husèth, vira, vira Deu matin au ser vira, vira Que cau ua pelha entà abilhar La mainada qui vam batiar. Au ton coenh qu'as un riban blu Blu com la hlor deu lin madur. Bèra hialaira, bèra hialaira Qui hialas deu matin au ser Ditz-me perqué Vira , husèth, vira, vira Deu matin au ser vira, vira Qu'u cau quan se mariderà Ua camisa nava a's botar. Au ton cuenh qu'as un riban roge, Roge com l'auba quan i a ploja. Bèra hialaira, bèra hialaira Qui hialas deu matin au ser Ditz-me perqué Vira , husèth, vira, vira Deu matin au ser vira, vira Qu'u calerà quan plorerà un mochoèr entà s'eishugar Au ton cuenh qu'as un riban negre, Negre enqüer mei qu'un tròç de pega, Bèra hialaira, bèra hialaira Qui hialas deu matin au ser Ditz-me perqué Vira , husèth, vira, vira Deu matin au ser vira, vira Qu'u calerà quan morirà un linçòu entà l'enterrar. Click to playTHE SPINSTER SONG On your distaff is a white ribbon White as the snow in the rising sun Beautiful spinster, beautiful spinster You're spinning from dawn to dusk Just tell me why Spin round, spindle, spin round, spin round From morning to dusk, spin round, spin round We need a cloth to dress the girl We're going to baptize in church. On your distaff is a blue ribbon As the flax flower when it blossoms Beautiful spinster, beautiful spinster You're spinning from dawn to dusk Just tell me why Spin round, spindle, spin round, spin round From morning to dusk, spin round, spin round She will need a new shirt to wear When she gets wed to her love fair On your distaff is a red ribbon As the dawn when rain is to come Beautiful spinster, beautiful spinster You're spinning from dawn to dusk Just tell me why Spin round, spindle, spin round, spin round From morning to dusk, spin round, spin round For she'll be needing when she cries A handkerchief her tears to wipe. On your distaff is a black ribbon Blacker than pitch is this black ribbon Beautiful spinster, beautiful spinster You're spinning from dawn to dusk Just tell me why Spin round, spindle, spin round, spin round From morning to dusk, spin round, spin round For we will be needing a shroud For to burry her when she dies. |
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Subject: ADD: PASTRES RINTRATZ VOSTREI TROPEUS From: Monique Date: 13 Feb 09 - 03:23 PM The second one is a Christmas carol from the "Noëls de Notre-Dame des Doms". Those carols were created by the churchgoers from Notre-Dame des Doms in Avignon on former dance tunes and they started to be written down in the 16th century. It was recorded by the Provençal trad group Mont-Jòia 30 odd years ago. You can hear the tune and see the sheet music here. PASTRES RINTRATZ VÒSTREI TROPÈUS Pastres, rintratz vòstrei tropèus E corretz lèu en grand diligença Per adorar la bèla naissença D'aqueste enfant que vèn dau cèu. Anirem toei d'aqueste pas Fringar davans eu lei cinc pas Eu ei naissut en Ventabren* Desmantelat come Romanhòla** Plorant caumatge subre la viòla Dins una crupi sensa fen. E tot çò que vautrei podretz Per eu de boan cuer va faretz A costat sa maire veiretz Lo boan José qu'ei lo sieu paire L'ai e lo buòu de l'autre caire Per vos mostrar çò que faretz Anirem toei d'aqueste pas Fringar davans eu lei cinc pas Alora anèm d'aqueste pas L'adorar dintre sa logeta E au son de nòstrei musetas Fringar davans eu lei cinc pas E tot çò que nautrei podrem Per eu de boan cuer va farem. Click to playSHEPHERDS BRING YOUR FLOCK IN TONIGHT Shepherds, bring your flocks in tonight And run quickly in the greatest haste To adore the holy birth full of grace Of this child down from heaven so bright We'll all go right away full of vim Dance the five steps in front of him. He was born very far away, Without a coat as is Romanhòla Crying unemployment on his viola, In a manger without hay. And every thing that you can do For him you will willingly do. Near him, his mother dressed in blue And the good Joseph who is his father The donkey, the bull watching together They'll show you what you're meant to do. We'll all go right away full of vim Dance the five steps in front of him. Then let's go at once adore him. Let's hurry and let's follow the bright lights, And to the sound of our bagpipes Dance the five steps in front of him. And every thing that we can do For him we will willingly do. *Ventabren is a village near Aix en Provence **Romanhòla was a musicologist famous for his poverty. |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: Monique Date: 13 Feb 09 - 03:26 PM Oops! forgot: Romanhòla is pronounced "roomahnyOhloh" |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: Sleepy Rosie Date: 13 Feb 09 - 03:26 PM How absolutely lovely. What wonderful images. Thank you for posting your translation Monique I think I may very well learn this. Rosie |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: Jack Campin Date: 13 Feb 09 - 05:44 PM ABC for one of them:
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Subject: ADD: VOLI PIERON From: Monique Date: 20 Feb 09 - 07:20 PM Here's another one: VÒLI PIERON (Traditional) Vòli Pieron ma maire, vòli Pieron (x2) Qu'aquò's un charmant garçon Laliton e lalitena Qu'aquò's un charmant garçon Ma maire vòli Pieron De qué ne vòls tu far, ma filha, de qué ne vòls tu far? (x2) Que se sap pas solament embralhar Laliton e lalitena Que se sap pas solament embralhar Ma filha de qué ne vòls tu far ? Ieu lo bralharai ma maire, ieu lo bralharai (x2) Quand l'aurai li aprendrai Laliton e lalitena Quand l'aurai li aprendrai Ma maire ieu lo bralharai Pren un cordonièr ma filha, pren un cordonièr (x2) Que te cauçarà lo pè Laliton e lalitena Que te cauçarà lo pè Ma filha pren un cordonièr Prenètz-lo vos ma maire, prenètz-lo vos (x2) Nos cauçarà totas doas Laliton e lalitena, Nos cauçarà totas doas, Ma maire, prenètz-lo vos Pensa a la mòrt ma filha, pensa a la mòrt (x2) Qu'aquò's ben un triste sòrt Laliton e lalitena Qu'aquòs ben un triste sòrt Ma filha, de pensar a la mòrt Pensatz-i vos ma maire, pensatz-i vos (x2) Que vos campèja près talons Laliton e lalitena Que vos campèja près talons Ma maire, pensatz-i vos. E taisa-te ma filha, parles pas tròp (x2) Que te fotrai mon esclòp Laliton e lalitena Que te fotrai mon esclòp Ma filha, parla pas tròp. E taisatz-vos ma maire, e taisatz-vos (x2) Ieu los vos fotrai totes dos Laliton e lalitena Ieu los vos fotrai totes dos Ma maire taisatz-vos vos. Click to playHere is a singable translation I want dear Roy, o mother, I want dear Roy (x2) For he's such a handsome boy Lullitoo and lulliteena For he's such a handsome boy O mother, I want dear Roy What do you want him for, daughter, what do you want him for? (x2) He can't even put his trousers on Lullitoo and lulliteena He can't even put his trousers on Daughter what do you want him for? I'll put them on for him, mother, I'll put them on for him (x2) When I have him I'll teach him Lullitoo and lulliteena When I have him I'll teach him Mother, I'll put them on for him. A shoemaker you should choose, daughter, a shoemaker you should choose (x2) For he will make you some shoes Lullitoo and lulliteena For he will make you some shoes Daughter, a shoemaker you should choose Take him for you, o mother, take him for you (x2) He'll make shoes for me and you Lullitoo and lulliteena He'll make shoes for me and you O mother, take him for you Think about death my daughter, think about death (x2) For it's a sorrowful fate Lullitoo and lulliteena For it's a sorrowful fate My daughter, to think about death It's a concern of yours, mother, it's a concern of yours (x2) For it's running after you Lullitoo and lulliteena For it's running after you Mother, it's a concern of yours Hey you should shut, my daughter, this mouth of yours (x2) For I'll throw my clog at you Lullitoo and lulliteena For I'll throw my clog at you Daughter, shut this mouth of yours Hey you should shut, my mother, your own mouth too (x2) For at you I'll throw these two Lullitoo and lulliteena For at you I'll throw these two The one who'll hush should be you! A more literal translation: I want young Peter, mother / for he's a nice boy // What do you want him for my daughter / he isn't even able to put his trousers on (meaning "properly") // I'll put them on for him, mother, / when I have him I'll teach him. // Take a shoemaker, daughter / he'll make shoes for your feet (lit. he'll shoe your foot). // Take him yourself, mother / he'll make shoes for both of us. // Think about death, daughter / for it is bad fate, to think about death. // Think of it yourself, mother / for it's on your heels. // Then hush, daughter, don't speak loud / Or I'll throw my clog at you. // Hush, yourself (you too) mother / or I'll throw both of them (mine) at you ABC notation X:1 T: Vòli Pieron M: 2/4 L: 1/16 K: C G4 F2 G2 | A2 G2 F2 D2 | C4 F2 E2 | D8 :] F,2 F,2 C2 C2 | D2 D2 G4- | GF E2 D2 F2 | E2 D2 C4 | F,8 | F,2 F,2 C2 C2 | D2 D2 G4- | GF E2 D2 F2 | E2 D2 G4 | On some lines you'll need to split notes to match the lyrics but I tried my best! This song has been collected from Mrs Marinette Volpilière in the village of Valfournès (South of Massif Central area) in 1979. It's been recorded by the trad group Aiga Linda ("Clear Water") on their CD "Barrutladas" ("Wanderings"). -M.P.- For those familiar with Romance languages: you'll note that the daughter addresses her mother as "vos" (formal you) while the mother addresses her daughter as "tu" (informal you). Btw, I'd first translated "ma maire/ma filha" as "my mother/my daughter" but it sounded weird as a term of address, that's why I wrote "o mother" instead -though it sounds somewhat weird to my ears too, but I'm no native English speaker. For those interested in linguistics: the rendition by Aiga Linda goes "Vòle Pieron... ...que ti cauçarà... ...que ti fotrai mon esclòp..." The 1st pers. sing. of verbs usually ends by "i" but in some areas it ends by "e", and you can find the pronouns "me" and "te" as "mi" and "ti"... Family life: when I first heard this song, I liked it and learned it. Since the daughter starts the song, women usually identify with the daughter. When I visited my mother, I sang it to her. While she was listening, I could clearly see that she was identifying with the daughter too and was finding the song funny. At the last verse, she had a laugh then looked at me and realized that I was the daughter and I suppose that she at once imagined two clogs of mine thrown at her -though I wear no clogs- because the expression on her face changed! |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: Bonnie Shaljean Date: 20 Feb 09 - 07:23 PM Beautiful, Monique - and very interesting too. Thanks so much for sharing these! |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: Monique Date: 22 Feb 09 - 12:21 PM Since it's an Occitan into English thread, I'd like to add a link to a site where you can find troubadours' songs/poems with beautiful English translations. You'd want to click on "Provençal". There are English translations to many poems in other languages. For those who wouldn't know (sorry to sound like a school teacher) Occitan is what English speaking people call "Provençal" and what by troubadours' times they would call "lemosin" which actually are two of the six Occitan main dialects. |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: Joe Offer Date: 13 Mar 09 - 12:44 AM 3 MIDI Files added - click the "click to play" links above. |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: Monique Date: 11 Nov 09 - 05:39 AM Here's an old song (it's all I know about it) TRISTE ES LO CÈL (Traditional) Triste es lo cèl, triste es la tèrra Soi triste e fins al fons del còr Al torn de ieu tot es misèria Perqu'es tot triste com aiçò? Soi triste e fins al fons del còr. Ont va l'aucèl, ont va l'abelha? Ont va la lèbre del branar? Ont va lo vent quand se desvèlha? Mas ieu non sabi ont anar Per tant florit siá lo branar. Venga lo temps de primavèra Abril se'n tornarà deman Ieu qu'ai al còr dolor novèla Negun ailas no'm vòl aimar. Singable translation which is the best I could do with a little help from my friend Lisa Yannucci from Mama Lisa's World. Feel free to improve it! Sad is the sky and sad is the land Deep down into my heart I'm sad All is misfortune where I stand But why is everything so sad? Deep down into my heart I'm sad Where do birds go, where do bees hasten? Where does the hare from heather go? Where goes the wind when it awakens? But I don't know where I could go The heather might be blooming though. Let lovely Spring time come back again Tomorrow, April will come too I have the heart full of a new pain No one, alas, will love me too, No one alas will love me too. Literal translation: Sad is the sky and sad is the land/earth / I'm sad down to the bottom of my heart / Around me everything is misery / Why is everything so sad (sad like this)? I'm sad down to the bottom of my heart. // Where does the bird go, where does the bee go? / Where goes the hare from the heather? / Where does the wing go when it awakens? / But I don't know where to go / As blooming as the heather may be. // Let spring time come April will come back tomorrow / I, who have in my heart a new pain, Nobody alas wants to love me / Nobody alas wants to love me. Midi coming soon. In the meanwhile you can hear it on a lightly different tune here. |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: Callie Date: 11 Nov 09 - 05:49 AM absolutely fantastic- thank you |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: Nigel Parsons Date: 11 Nov 09 - 01:27 PM Monique, Just a thought on the first song, is the translation correct idiomatically. "Spinster" is a description of a person who spins wool, but also means a woman of marriagable age who remains unwed. Is that double meaning present in the Occitan original? If the double meaning is not there it may be worth considering a different word. Cheers Nigel |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: Monique Date: 11 Nov 09 - 07:11 PM Nigel, no it isn't. A 'hialaira" is only a woman who spins wool. So "spinner" would be a much better word. |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: Joe Offer Date: 13 Nov 09 - 03:56 AM Two MIDI versions of TRISTE ES LO CÈL from Monique: |
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Subject: ADD: Anem lai donc tantes que sèm From: Monique Date: 11 Dec 10 - 04:06 PM Christmas is getting near, so here is a carol. You can listen to a sample from Nadals d'Occitània, it's #5 on CD 2. The recordings on CD 1 are "ethnic material", the ones on CD 2 are by the band La Talvera There's a book sold separately with the scores, the lyrics with a French translation and some comments. The carol below is said to have only one version known in the area it was collected and that it's interesting because of the simplicity of its lyrics and its tone. So here are the original lyrics, an English singable version that you're invited to improve if you feel like to, and a literal translation. ANEM LAI DONC TANTES QUE SÈM Anem lai donc tantes que sèm Adorar Jèsus en Betelèm Anem lai donc tantes que sèm Adorar Jèsus en Betelèm Lo Sauvur es nascut A Nadal, a Nadal, a Nadal, Lo Sauvur es nascut Gaire degun non a pas sachut. Oh mon Dieu qué li donarem Nautres n'avèm pas ges d'argent Oh mon Dieu qué li donarem Nautres n'avèm pas ges d'argent Donatz-li vòstre còr A Nadal, a Nadal, a Nadal, Donatz-lo vòstre còr Que l'aimarà mai qu'un tresòr. Sant Estève nos aprén De nos aimar sincerament Sant Estève nos aprén De nos aimar sincerament Faguèm çò que nos ditz A Nadal, a Nadal, a Nadal, Faguèm çò que nos ditz Per anar un jorn en Paradís. Anem lai donc tantes que sèm Adorar Jèsus en Betelèm Anem lai donc tantes que sèm Adorar Jèsus en Betelèm Lo Sauvur es nascut A Nadal, a Nadal, a Nadal, Lo Sauvur es nascut Gaire degun non a pas sachut. Click to playEnglish version LET ALL OF US WOMEN AND MEN Let all of us women and men Go worship Jesus in Bethlehem Let all of us women and men Go worship Jesus in Bethlehem The Savior was born He was born, He was born, He was born, The Savior was born Almost nobody has been warned. As a gift what are we to bring We have no money and no ring, As a gift what are we to bring We have no money and no ring, Give Him your heart so bold He was born, He was born, He was born, Give Him your heart so bold For He will love it more than gold Saint Stephen taught us patiently To love each other sincerely Saint Stephen taught us patiently To love each other sincerely We'll follow his advice He was born, He was born, He was born, We'll follow his advice To go one day to Paradise Let all of us women and men Go worship Jesus in Bethlehem Let all of us women and men Go worship Jesus in Bethlehem The Savior was born He was born, He was born, He was born, The Savior was born Almost nobody has been warned. Literal translation (= what it tells, not word for word) Let's go, as many as we are / to worship Jesus in Bethlehem / the Savior was born / on Christmas day, on Christmas day, on Christmas day / the Savior was born / almost nobody knew about it // O, my God, what will we give him / we don't have any money / Give him your heart / on Christmas day, on Christmas day, on Christmas day /Give him your heart / He will love it more than a treasure.// Saint Stephen teaches us / to love one another sincerely / let's do as he tells us / on Christmas day, on Christmas day, on Christmas day / let's do as he tells us / to go one day in Paradise. Midi link above |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: katlaughing Date: 11 Dec 10 - 06:01 PM Wonderful,, Monique. Thank you so much for sharing these traditional songs and esp. the translations! I love the tune of the carol on the CD. |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: katlaughing Date: 11 Dec 10 - 08:17 PM I am really enjoying listening to ALL of the samples on the Nadals d'Occitània and La Talvera CDs. Thanks, again, Monique! |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 11 Dec 10 - 09:27 PM My computer freezes when I try to access sound - on "Pastres ...." at Mama Lisa. Dunno what happens. Quicktime the problem? |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: katlaughing Date: 11 Dec 10 - 09:52 PM Worked okay for me with Quicktime, Q. |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: Monique Date: 12 Dec 10 - 01:06 AM Q, it works for me too. |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: Monique Date: 15 Oct 11 - 08:26 PM I've been thinking about my translation to the last line of the first verse of the last song I posted last year. "Gaire degun non a pas sachut" probably means the very opposite of what I said it meant, i.e. literally "Almost nobody didn't know about it"; The fact is we may or may not use "pas" with "degun", so "degun o a sachut" = "degun o a pas sachut" but "degun non o a pas sachut" = nearly everybody knew about it", so it'd be good to have the line as "Almost everyone has been warned". |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: Monique Date: 22 Jul 14 - 07:27 AM For the sake of accuracy about "Triste es lo cèl" that I posted above: this song is usually said to be a traditional song from Bearn (West Occitania, Gascon dialect, Bearnese subdialect) and you'll find the lyrics in Bearnese here. It's actually much more recent that could be thought: there you can read (in Fr.) that the song was mentioned as written and composed by Simin Palai (1874-1965) thus under copyright till 2035 -author's life + 70y- and here if you click on the 2nd image below the book you'll get to the very song and the sheet music does read "Paroles et musique de Simin Palai". The Basque song in which the tune originated is Aiñhara/Ainhara -public domain. |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: Ged Fox Date: 23 Jul 14 - 11:24 AM "Pengabelot" in English (from the Occitan of Nadau) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlQXx4OTNOw&list=UU7ftjb29J_Baa2Fzcf7lVag "Lo Dia, Maria" in English (from the Occitan of Nadau)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWVFCIVG9oo&list=UU7ftjb29J_Baa2Fzcf7lVag&index=3 "Se Canta" in English (from mediaeval Occitan song)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlQXx4OTNOw&index=1&list=UU7ftjb29J_Baa2Fzcf7lVag |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: Monique Date: 23 Jul 14 - 12:15 PM Good work, Ged! |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 23 Jul 14 - 01:59 PM Go to youtube and put Occitan in search. A long list, many with vocals. |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: GUEST,John Foxen Date: 24 Jul 14 - 11:39 AM Here's my attempt at translating Nicolas Saboly's Pastre Pastresso. My Occitan is limited to about two words so I was helped by an online dictionary and a French translation of the lyrics. Pastre Pastresso |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: Monique Date: 24 Jul 14 - 03:02 PM The translation given by Zictrad an accurate, literal one while the one given by Chansons-net is a French, singable version, hence less faithful to the original lyrics. |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: Tattie Bogle Date: 25 Jul 14 - 06:31 AM Have only just discovered this thread, for which many thanks, Monique. I have been taking part in a Town twinning (Jumelage) between Linlithgow in Scotland and Guyancourt (near Versailles) for a number of years now, and our French friends introduced us to the music of Nadau just a couple of years back. This song, De Cap Ta L'Immortela, has almost become an anthem for US now, with it being sung all over Linlithgow at our last Festival! And I got the accordion part. De Cap Ta L'Immortela |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: Monique Date: 25 Jul 14 - 07:01 AM De cap tà l'immortèla (Wiki page with lyrics and English translation) though not old (1978) has become some sort of anthem to the West part of Occitania. |
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Subject: RE: Occitan songs into English From: GUEST Date: 25 Jul 14 - 09:50 AM Thanks: I must work my way through all the ones you have posted, Monique. |
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