Songs
Danse macabre
(1872)
Danse macabre
Zig et zig et zig, la mort cri en cadence Frappant une tombe avec son talon,La mort à minuit joue un air de danse, Zig et zig et zag, sur son violon.Le vent d’hiver souffle, et la nuit est sombre,Des gémissements sortent des tilleuls; Les squelettes blancs vont à travers l’ombreCourant et sautant sous leurs grands linceuls,Zig et zig et zig, chacun se trémousse, On entend claquer les os des danseurs, Un couple lascif s’asseoit sur la mousse Comme pour goûter d’anciennes douceurs.Zig et zig et zag, la mort continue De racler sans fin son aigre instrument. Un voile est tombé! La danseuse est nue! Son danseur la serre amoureusement.La dame est, dit-on, marquise ou baronne. Et le vert galant un pauvre charron—Horreur! Et voilà qu’elle s’abandonne Comme si le rustre était un baron!Zig et zig et zig, quelle sarabande!Quels cercles de morts se donnant la main! Zig et zig et zag, on voit dans la bande Le roi gambader auprès du vilain!Mais psit! tout à coup on quitte la ronde,On se pousse, on fuit, le coq a chanté…Oh! La belle nuit pour le pauvre monde! Et vive la mort et l’égalité!
Danse macabre
Tap, tap, tap—Death rhythmically,Taps a tomb with his heel,Death at midnight plays a gigue, Tap, tap, tap, on his violin.The Winter wind blows, the night is dark,The lime-trees groan aloud; White skeletons flit across the gloom,Running and leaping beneath their huge shroudsTap, tap, tap, everyone’s astir, You hear the bones of the dancers knock,A lustful couple sits down on the moss, As if to savour past delights.Tap, tap, tap, Death continues, Endlessly scraping his shrill violinA veil has slipped! The dancer’s naked! Her partner clasps her amorously.They say she’s a baroness or marchioness,And the callow gallant a poor cartwright. Good God! And now she’s giving herself, As though the bumpkin were a baron!Tap, tap, tap, what a saraband! Circles of corpses all holding hands! Tap, tap, tap, in the throng you can seeKing and peasant dancing together!But shh! Suddenly the dance is ended,They jostle and take flight—the cock has crowed…Ah! Nocturnal beauty shines on the poor!And long live death and equality!
If you would like to use our texts and translations, please click here for more information.
Composer
Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns was a French composer, organist, conductor, and pianist of the Romantic era. A musical prodigy, he gave his first concert at only 10 years old, before studying at the Paris Conservatoire.
Information from Wikipedia. Click here for more information.
See Full Entry
Poet
Henri Cazalis was a French physician, symbolist poet and man of letters. He wrote under the pseudonyms of Jean Caselli and Jean Lahor.
See Full Entry
Sorry, no further description available.
Previously performed at:
- 12 Oct 2020: 16. Songs for violin and voice: Caitlin Hulcup & Jonathan Stone
-
- 01 Oct 2020: Oxford Lieder on Radio 3 In Concert
-
- 15 Oct 2019: 24. Songs and Dances of Death: Thomas Oliemans & Malcolm Martineau
-
Danse macabre
Zig et zig et zig, la mort cri en cadence
Frappant une tombe avec son talon,
La mort à minuit joue un air de danse,
Zig et zig et zag, sur son violon.
Le vent d’hiver souffle, et la nuit est sombre,
Des gémissements sortent des tilleuls;
Les squelettes blancs vont à travers l’ombre
Courant et sautant sous leurs grands linceuls,
Zig et zig et zig, chacun se trémousse,
On entend claquer les os des danseurs,
Un couple lascif s’asseoit sur la mousse
Comme pour goûter d’anciennes douceurs.
Zig et zig et zag, la mort continue
De racler sans fin son aigre instrument.
Un voile est tombé! La danseuse est nue!
Son danseur la serre amoureusement.
La dame est, dit-on, marquise ou baronne.
Et le vert galant un pauvre charron—
Horreur! Et voilà qu’elle s’abandonne
Comme si le rustre était un baron!
Zig et zig et zig, quelle sarabande!
Quels cercles de morts se donnant la main!
Zig et zig et zag, on voit dans la bande
Le roi gambader auprès du vilain!
Mais psit! tout à coup on quitte la ronde,
On se pousse, on fuit, le coq a chanté…
Oh! La belle nuit pour le pauvre monde!
Et vive la mort et l’égalité!
Danse macabre
Tap, tap, tap—Death rhythmically,
Taps a tomb with his heel,
Death at midnight plays a gigue,
Tap, tap, tap, on his violin.
The Winter wind blows, the night is dark,
The lime-trees groan aloud;
White skeletons flit across the gloom,
Running and leaping beneath their huge shrouds
Tap, tap, tap, everyone’s astir,
You hear the bones of the dancers knock,
A lustful couple sits down on the moss,
As if to savour past delights.
Tap, tap, tap, Death continues,
Endlessly scraping his shrill violin
A veil has slipped! The dancer’s naked!
Her partner clasps her amorously.
They say she’s a baroness or marchioness,
And the callow gallant a poor cartwright.
Good God! And now she’s giving herself,
As though the bumpkin were a baron!
Tap, tap, tap, what a saraband!
Circles of corpses all holding hands!
Tap, tap, tap, in the throng you can see
King and peasant dancing together!
But shh! Suddenly the dance is ended,
They jostle and take flight—the cock has crowed…
Ah! Nocturnal beauty shines on the poor!
And long live death and equality!
If you would like to use our texts and translations, please click here for more information.
Composer
Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns was a French composer, organist, conductor, and pianist of the Romantic era. A musical prodigy, he gave his first concert at only 10 years old, before studying at the Paris Conservatoire.
Information from Wikipedia. Click here for more information.
See Full Entry
Poet
Henri Cazalis was a French physician, symbolist poet and man of letters. He wrote under the pseudonyms of Jean Caselli and Jean Lahor.
See Full Entry
Sorry, no further description available.
Previously performed at:
- 12 Oct 2020: 16. Songs for violin and voice: Caitlin Hulcup & Jonathan Stone
- 01 Oct 2020: Oxford Lieder on Radio 3 In Concert
- 15 Oct 2019: 24. Songs and Dances of Death: Thomas Oliemans & Malcolm Martineau
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