Philippe Jaroussky chante Verlaine dans le Studio de France Musique

Avec Jérôme Ducros (piano), 2014. Dear COPYRIGHT HOLDER, if you have any problems with this being on YouTube, please contact me, and I will remove it immediately. Thank you!

0:00 Offrande (Hahn/ Verlaine, 1891)

Here are some fruit, some flowers, some leaves and some branches,
And then here is my heart, which beats only for you.
Do not rip it up with your two white hands,
And may the humble present be sweet in your beautiful eyes!

I arrive all coverered in dew,
Which the wind of morning comes to freeze on my forehead.
Suffer my fatigue as I repose at your feet,
Dreaming of dear instants that will refresh me.

On your young breast allow my head to rest,
Still ringing with your last kisses;
Let it calm itself after the pleasant tempest,
And let me sleep a little, since you are resting.

02:53 Colombine

Silly Leander,
Pierrot who with one
Flea-like jump
Springs over the bush,
Cassander beneath his Capuce,
Deep monk’s cowl,

Harlequin too,
That cheating rogue so
Full of guile
In crazy costume,
His keen eyes glinting
Beneath his mask

Do, mi, so, mi, fa,
All these go along
Laugh and sing
They dance in front of
A skinny girl who
Means trouble
Whose eyes of menace
Like the bright green eyes
Of felines
Guard her body’s charms
As they say
Wand’ring hands, keep off!

The child, hard to please
Spry and with her skirts
Lifted high
The rose in her hat
Leads on her flock of
Those she fools!

04:29 Colloque Sentimentale (Debussy/ Verlaine, 1869)

In the old park's desolation and frost
the paths of two ghostly figures have crossed.

Their eyes are dead and their lips slack and gray
and one can scarcely hear the words they say.

In the old park's desolation and frost
two spectres have been evoking the past.

- "Do you recall our bliss of that September?"
- "Why ever should you wish me to remember?"

- "Now when you hear my name does your heart-rate grow?
Do you still see me in your dreams?"
- "No."

- Ah, the enchantment of loving so dearly,
those kisses that we shared!"
- "Did we really?"

Skies were so blue and hopes so high, so proud!
Defeated hope has fled in a sombre cloud.

Thus did they walk in the wild grass swaying.
Only the night heard the words they were saying.

Translations: http://www.recmusic.org/ (1, 3)
http://brassenswithenglish.blogspot.de (2)