Debussy: Beau Soir (sung by Streisand)

This is probably the best track from the CD, Classical Barbra. Claus Ogerman conducted the orchestra. The lyrics are in French, and a basic translation is:

When the rivers are rosy in the setting sun,
And a warm shiver runs over the wheat fields,
Advice to be happy seems to rise up from things
And climb toward the troubled heart.


Advice to taste the charm of being in the world
While one is young and the evening is beautiful,
For we are going away, as this stream goes away:
The stream to the sea, we to the grave

Visuals are by Doug Ordunio

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Debussy
• chanson
• streisand
• barbra
• ordunio
• relaxation
• meditation

[Sush108]

BLECH!!! Absolutely awful, cheesy, vulgar. Streisand imagined she could sing legitimate rep, but she can't. Her French diction is abominable, about the level of a high school freshman. She has no idea of the style of this music. She's clueless. Stick to your crooning, Barbra!

[adordunio1]

@Sush108 It's a pop version of a classical song. Yes, her diction may be abominable. It's just one possible way of doing it, but it's still valid. Yes, it's vulgar, but as that word indicates, it's for the commoner--the great unwashed.

[bibifrijam]

@Sush108 Of course Streisand is not Dawn Upshaw, but she does not claim for. Her voice is superb and her diction is far to be scandalous (I am French). The orchestral adaptation is superb, far better than the piano version. This version stands as one of the best I know. Comparing is not interesting. Appreciating is much more accurate. And I don't think this is vulgar at all ...

[RMG0223]

Barbra's pronunciation is quite good. I'd say it's almost perfect, except for the fact that her "é" in monter is too "diphthonged."

ET montER vers le coeur troublÉ. Those final "ay" sounds should be more crisp and shorter sounding. Other wise her French is quite excellent.

This rendition is FAR from vulgar!

[curchoman]

@bibifrijam youn are so rigth my friend and coming from a frencha as we say in spanish es todo un elogio 

[bence778]

@adordunio1 But as it has been written by Debussy, there is only one possible way of doing it.

[meagisamazingbro]

were singing this is choir, and it's not fair! She makes the French sound so easy!!!

[DrMerkwuerdichliebe]

great

[koloratura]

can this be more disgusting!! people allow themselves so much! poor Debussy...thank god he didn't get to hear this....

[DarkxComexSoon]

@Sush108 finally. someone with mutual disdain towards barbra.

[loveinsearchofwords]

Her French might be choppy but it's beautiful . This song makes me think of a French lady (of course.) singing on a balcony while the sun sets .

[minkamagalah]

Oh dear Barbara -- this is just as unfortunate as Renalta Tebaldi singing "I could have danced tonight". You have the chops for this stuff, just not the understanding of the style and it deserves not to be mucked up.

[theenextmileycyrus7]

Ommmy i love u for putting this up im doing this song for a solofest thing at my school and now i can practice it the way barbra does it thanks:) i lovvvvee this so much