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26 Apr 11 - 03:00 PM (#3142847) Subject: Lyr Req: C'est en Mai (In May) From: GUEST,Cyparissa Hello! I've recently downloaded and loved the song C'est en Mai from the CD Love Burns in Me by Alva, sung by Vivien Ellis. It's a beautiful song, sung in French I believe (though I'm no expert), but I can't find the lyrics anywhere, let alone translations of the lyrics into English. Can anyone help me? I'm a big fan of Alva, and attended one of Vivien's singing workshops some years ago, but can find basically no information on her music. Any tips for doing so would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! |
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01 May 11 - 06:57 PM (#3146069) Subject: Lyr Add: C'EST EN MAI AU MOIS D'ESTE From: Jim Dixon This is a song from the 13th century, sometimes attributed to Thibaut de Blaison. Alva skips verse 2. From Romances et Pastourelles Françaises by Karl Bartsch (Leipzig: F. C. W. Vogel, 1870), page 54: C'est en mai au mois d'este que florist flor, que trestout cil oiselet sont de nouvel ator, dou douz chant des oiselons li cuers m'esprent, li rosignox m'i semont que j'aime loiaument; en cel lieu je m'endormi moult tres simplement, une pucelete i vint, moult cortoisement m'esgarda sanz mautalent. Je la pris, si l'acolai demaintenant, l'acolai et la baisai sans nul demorement; le gieu d'amors li vueil faire sanz nul arestement. 'sire, que voles vos faire?' dist la pucelote, 'vos m'avrois encois done ou sorcot ou cote, et puis si avrois du vostre.' Ele avoit les euz si vairz come faucon, et si avoit bele bouche et bele facon; ele avoit les euz rians, le nes traitis, sa facete vermeillete come rosier floris. nul charbon bien alume n'est si espris come je sui por celi en qui je sui assis, plus l'aim que tous mes amis. Certes que quant la regart il m'est avis, el me semble molt bien faite et de cors et de vis; ele resemble a tous ceus de paradis, et pour ce la counois je et en fes et en dis; el me fait touz jors trenbler et sospirer et fremir a si grant tort, mes cuers en ost a la mort. Chanconete, tu iras en mon pais et si me diras a cele qui m'a trais, que j'amoie loiaument et de bon cuer, di li que l'amoie plus que frere ne que suer, et ele ne m'amoit pas ne de moi n'ot pitie; et s'el mi vousist amer, moult en fusse lie, mes max me fust alegie. Here is the first stanza rendered into modern French: C'est en mai au mois d'été quand fleurit la fleur, que tous les oiselets sont dans leurs nouveaux atours, Au doux chant des oisillons mon cœur s'embrase; le rossignol me pousse à aimer loyalement. En ce lieu je m'endormis très simplement; une petite demoiselle y vint, toute courtoise, qui me regarda sans mauvais vouloir. Then into English: It is in May, in the summer months when the flower blooms, that all the little birds are in their new finery, At the sweet song of chicks my heart flares up; the nightingale pushes me to love faithfully. In this place I fell asleep very simply; a young lady came there, all courteous, who looked at me with no ill-will. |
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01 May 11 - 08:30 PM (#3146103) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: C'est en Mai (In May) From: Q (Frank Staplin) Any idea who composed the tune? |
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02 May 11 - 05:40 AM (#3146292) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: C'est en Mai (In May) From: Monique Warning: first, I never studied Old French (only Old Occitan, I'm sorry!) so this is from a native French speaker with an Old French dictionary; second: this is very literal, I never was a poet; third: my English is... what it is, I never was a native English speaker either. Any help welcome! Now, just so you have a general idea of what it means, those are the verses that Jim didn't give... I took her, embraced her At once Embraced her and kissed her Without waiting. I wanted to make the game of love to her Without delay "Sir, what do you want to do?" Said the maiden "You'd rather have given (?) me Either dress or skirt And then would (???) yours" She had very green eyes Like a hawk And also had a beautiful mouth And beautiful face/look (?) She had cheerful/laughing eyes A regular/nicely made nose, Her little face (was) rosy Like a blooming rosebush. No blazing coal Is as much in love As I am with the one In whom I've set my love upon, I love her more than (I do) all my friends. Sure that when I look at her According to me/my opinion is (lit. it seems to me) Her body and her face Seem (to me) very well built She looks like all those In paradise (= she looks like an angel) And I know her as such In her actions and talks She always makes me tremble And sigh And tremble/shiver so wrongly/in such a wrong way/torture(?) My heart is fighting with Death/to death? Ditty, you will go To my country And you will speak to the one Who betrayed me, Whom I love loyally And with good heart, Tell her that I love her more Than brother or sister And she doesn't love me Nor does she have pity on me And if she wanted to love me I would be very happy My sorrow/pain would be alleviated. |
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02 May 11 - 04:53 PM (#3146680) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: C'est en Mai (In May) From: Jim Dixon I forgot to mention: you can hear Alva's performance of C'EST EN MAI (IN MAY) at MySpace. |
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02 May 11 - 10:33 PM (#3146840) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: C'est en Mai (In May) From: GUEST,leeneia thanks for the link, Jim. I believe I'll make a MIDI of that. |
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03 May 11 - 10:15 AM (#3147075) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: C'est en Mai (In May) From: GUEST,leeneia I've given up on the MIDI. The lines are so long and curly, I can't remember how they went when I go to enter the notes. Maybe if I knew French... If anybody knows where there are MIDI's or PDF's of music like this, I would appreciate the link(s). |
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03 May 11 - 12:08 PM (#3147134) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: C'est en Mai (In May) From: Monique Leeneia, maybe you could email the guy from this French site |
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04 May 11 - 11:15 AM (#3147750) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: C'est en Mai (In May) From: GUEST,leeneia Thank you for the link, Monique. |