Songs

L'épouse (1936)

Part of a series or song cycle:

L'épouse

Olivier Messiaen

Va où l'esprit te mène,

Nul ne peut séparer ce que Dieu a uni,

Va où l'esprit te mène,

L'épouse est le prolongement de l'époux,

Va où l'esprit te mène,

Comme l'Eglise est le prolongement du Christ.

The bride

English Translation © Richard Stokes

Go whither the Spirit lead you,

No one can put asunder what God has united,

Go whither the Spirit lead you,

The bride is the extension of the bridegroom,

Go whither the Spirit lead you,

As the Church is the extension of Christ.

Translation © Richard Stokes, from A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)

Composer

Olivier Eugène Prosper Charles Messiaen was a French composer, organist, and ornithologist. He wrote music for chamber ensembles and orchestra, vocal music, as well as for solo organ and piano, and also experimented with the use of novel electronic instruments developed in Europe during his lifetime.