Choirs

Cantique de Jean Racine

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French

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Verbe, égal au Très-Haut, notre unique espérance,
Jour éternel de la terre et des cieux ;
De la paisible nuit nous rompons le silence,
Divin Sauveur, jette sur nous les yeux !

Répands sur nous le feu de ta grâce puissante,
Que tout l'enfer fuie au son de ta voix ;
Dissipe le sommeil d'une âme languissante,
Qui la conduit à l'oubli de tes lois !

O Christ, sois favorable à ce peuple fidèle
Pour te bénir maintenant rassemblé.
Reçois les chants qu'il offre à ta gloire immortelle,
Et de tes dons qu'il retourne comblé !

 

English

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O Word, equal of the Most High,
Our sole hope, eternal day of earth and the heavens,
We break the silence of the peaceful night.
Divine Saviour, cast Thine eyes upon us!

Shed the light of Thy mighty grace upon us.
Let all Hell flee at the sound of Thy voice.
Dispel the slumber of a languishing soul
That leads it to the forgetting of Thy laws!

O Christ, be favorable unto this faithful people
Now gathered to bless Thee.
Receive the hymns it offers unto Thine immortal glory
And may it return laden with Thy gifts.

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O schöne Nacht

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German

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O schöne Nacht am Himmel märchenhaft erglänzt der Mond in seiner ganzen Pracht;
Um ihn der kleinen Sterne liebliche Genossenschaft.
O schöne Nacht Es schimmert hell der Tau am grünen Halm;
Mit Macht im Fliederbusche schlägt die Nachtigall.
Der Knabe schleicht zu seiner Liebsten sacht.
O schöne Nacht!

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English

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Oh beautiful night! The moon is fabulously shining in its complete splendour in the sky;
Around it, sweet company of little stars.
Oh beautiful night!
The dew is shimmering brightly on the green blades of grass;
The nightingale sings ardently in the lilac bush, and
The boy steals softly to his lover.
Oh beautiful night!

 

 

Sehnsucht

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German

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Es rinnen die Wasser Tag und Nacht, deine Sehnsucht wacht.
Du gedenkest der vergangenen Zeit, die liegt so weit.
Du siehst hinaus in den Morgenschein und bist allein.
Es rinnen die Wasser Tag und Nacht, deine Sehnsucht wacht.

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English

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The waters run day and night; your yearning awakes.
You think of times past, now so far away.
You gaze out into the morning light and are alone.
The waters run day and night; your yearning awakes.

 

Himmel Strahlt

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German

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Himmel strahlt so helle und klar,

Heller strahlt mir dein Augenpaar.

Du meine Rose, mir ins Auge blick,

Daß ich dich segne in meinem Glück.

 

Vögleins Lied so lieblich erklingt,

Süß'res Lied mir mein Liebchen singt.

Du meine Rose, mir ins Auge blick,

Daß ich dich segne in meinem Glück.

 

Sonne küßt das ganze Erdenrund,

Heißer küßt mich dein Rosenmund.

Du meine Rose, mir ins Auge blick,

Daß ich dich segne in meinem Glück.

 

English

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The sky is beaming, so bright and clear;

 even more brightly do your eyes beam at me.

 You, my rose, gaze into my eyes,

 so that I bless you in my happiness.

 

 The little bird's song resounds with such loveliness,

 yet my darling sings a much sweeter song.

 You, my rose, gaze into my eyes,

 so that I bless you in my happiness.

 

 The sun kisses the entire world,

 yet your rosy lips kiss me even more warmly.

 You, my rose, gaze into my eyes,

 so that I bless you in my happiness.

 

Rote Rosenknospen

 

German

 

Rote Rosenknospen

künden schon des Lenzes Triebe.

Rosenrote Wangen

Deuten Mädchens erste Liebe.

Kleiner roter Vogel,

Flieg herab zur roten Rose!

Bursche geht zum ros'gen

Mädchen kosen.

 

English

 

Red rosebuds

herald the arrival of Spring.

Rose-red cheeks

mean a maiden's first love.

Little red bird,

fly off to the red rose!

The lad is going to the rosy

maiden to woo her!

 

Brennessel Steht

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German

 

Brennessel steht am Wegesrand,

Neider und Feinde hab' ich in Stadt und Land.

Neidet, haßt, verleumdet,

doch das bringt mir keine Not,

Wenn mir nur mein süßes Liebchen

treu bleibt bis zum Tod.

 

English

 

Stinging nettles stand at the side of the road:

envious and hate-filled people surround me, in town and country.

I am envied, hated, slandered -

and yet it brings me no sorrow,

so long as my sweet darling

remains true till death. 

 

Dieu! qu'il la fait bon regarder

 

French

 

Dieu! qu'il la fait bon regarder
la gracieuse bonne et belle;
pour les grans biens que sont en elle
chascun est prest de la loüer.
Qui se pourrait d'elle lasser?
Toujours sa beauté renouvelle.
Par de ça, ne de là, la mer
ne scay dame ne damoiselle
qui soit en tous bien parfais telle.
C'est un songe que d'y penser:
Dieu! qu'il la fait bon regarder.

 

English

 

God, what a vision she is;
one imbued with grace, true and beautiful!
For all the virtues that are hers
everyone is quick to praise her.
Who could tire of her?
Her beauty constantly renews itself;
On neither side of the ocean
do I know any girl or woman
who is in all virtues so perfect;
it's a dream even to think of her;
God, what a vision she is.

 

Yver, vous n’estes qu’un villain

 

French

 

Yver, vous n’estes qu’un villain;

Esté est plaisant et gentil,

En tesmoing de May et d’Avril

Qui l’accompaignent soir et main.

Esté revest champs, bois et fleurs,

De sa livrée de verdure

Et de maintes autres couleurs,

Par l’ordonnance de Nature.

Mais vous, Yver, trop estes plain

De nège, vent, pluye et grézil;

On vous deust banir en éxil.

Sans point flater, je parle plain.

 

English

 

Winter, you are nothing but a rogue;

Summer is pleasant and kind,

As May and April can testify,

Accompanying it each eve and morn.

Summer clothes fields, woods and flowers

With his verdant livery,

And many other colours too,

As nature commands.

But you, Winter, you exude

Snow, wind, rain and hail;

You ought to be exiled.

Winter, you are nothing but a rogue.

 

La Passegiata

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Italian

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Finché sereno è il cielo, limpida e cheta l’onda, 

voghiam di sponda in sponda, amor ne guiderà. 

 

Al flutto, all’aura, ai fiori, noi parlerem d’amor, 

e il palpito del core per lor risponderà. 

 

Ma ciel! già fischia il vento,  s’increspa la laguna, 

fischia il vento, presto!  rapidi il piè moviam. 

 

Ah! no, la luna appare,  vano timor fu solo,

in sì ridente suolo cantiamo, sì cantiam.

 

English

 

As long as the sky is calm, the water limpid and tranquil,

 let us row from shore to shore, love will guide our way.

 

To the waves, the wind and the flowers we shall speak of love,

 and the beating of our hearts will offer their reply.

 

But heavens! The wind is whistling, the waves in the lagoon are building, 

the wind is whistling, hurry! We must move on with all haste.

 

Ah no, here comes the moon, our fears were groundless. 

In such a delightful place let us sing, yes, let us sing.

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