Songs
La fée aux chansons
Op. 27 no.2
La fée aux chansons
Il était une féeD’herbe folle coiffée,Qui courait les buissons,Sans s’y laisser surprendre,En avril, pour apprendreAux oiseaux leurs chansons.Lorsque geais et linottesFaisaient des fausses notesEn récitant leurs chantsLa fée, avec constance,Gourmandait d’importanceCes élèves méchants.Sa petite main nue,D’un brin d’herbe menueCueilli dans les halliers,Pour stimuler leurs zèles,Fouettait sur leurs ailesCes mauvais écoliers.Par un matin d’automne,Elle vient et s’étonne,De voir les bois déserts:Avec les hirondellesSes amis infidèlesAvaient fui dans les airs.Et tout l’hiver la fée,D’herbe morte coiffée,Et comptant les instantsSous les forêts immenses,Compose des romancesPour le prochain printemps!
The song-fairy
There was a fairyCrowned with rank weedsWho ran through the bushesWithout being caught,In April, to teachThe birds their songs.When jays and linnetsSang wrong notesAs they recited their songs,The fairy, tirelessly,Sternly rebukedThose naughty pupils.Her little bare hand,With a tiny blade of grassPlucked from the thickets,To stimulate their zealWould whip the wingsOf those bad scholars.One autumn morningShe comes and is amazedTo find the woods deserted.With the swallows,Her unfaithful friendsHad flown away on the wind.And all winter long, the fairy,Crowned with dead grassAnd counting timeIn the vast forestsComposes songsFor the coming spring!
Composer
"Gabriel Urbain Fauré (12 May 1845 – 4 November 1924) was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th-century composers. Among his best-known works are his Pavane, Requiem, nocturnes for piano and the songs "Après un rêve" and "Clair de lune". Although his best-known and most accessible compositions are generally his earlier ones, Fauré composed many of his most highly regarded works in his later years, in a more harmonically and melodically complex style." (Wikipedia)
For more information about the life and work of Gabriel Fauré please see the Wikipedia article here.
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Poet
Paul-Armand Silvestre, French poet and conteur, was born in Paris.
He studied at the École polytechnique with the intention of entering the army, but in 1870 he entered the department of finance. He had a successful official career, was decorated with the Legion of Honour in 1886, and in 1892 was made inspector of fine arts. Armand Silvestre made his entry into literature as a poet, and was reckoned among the Parnassians.
Taken from Wikipedia. To view the full article, please click here.
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Previously performed at:
La fée aux chansons
The song-fairy
Composer
"Gabriel Urbain Fauré (12 May 1845 – 4 November 1924) was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th-century composers. Among his best-known works are his Pavane, Requiem, nocturnes for piano and the songs "Après un rêve" and "Clair de lune". Although his best-known and most accessible compositions are generally his earlier ones, Fauré composed many of his most highly regarded works in his later years, in a more harmonically and melodically complex style." (Wikipedia)
For more information about the life and work of Gabriel Fauré please see the Wikipedia article here.
See Full Entry
Poet
Paul-Armand Silvestre, French poet and conteur, was born in Paris.
He studied at the École polytechnique with the intention of entering the army, but in 1870 he entered the department of finance. He had a successful official career, was decorated with the Legion of Honour in 1886, and in 1892 was made inspector of fine arts. Armand Silvestre made his entry into literature as a poet, and was reckoned among the Parnassians.
Taken from Wikipedia. To view the full article, please click here.
See Full Entry
Sorry, no further description available.
Previously performed at:
About Oxford Lieder
Oxford Lieder is one of the world's leading promoters of song and the winner of a prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society Award. The focal point of each year is the two-week Oxford Lieder Festival in October.
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