Bidú Sayão sings Hahn: "Si mes vers avaient des ailes"

Music by Reynaldo Hahn, lyrics by Victor Hugo


Mes vers fuiraient, doux et frêles,
Vers votre jardin si beau,
Si mes vers avaient des ailes,
Comme l'oiseau.

Ils voleraient, étincelles,
Vers votre foyer qui rit,
Si mes vers avaient des ailes,
Comme l'esprit.

Près de vous, purs et fidèles,
Ils accourraient, nuit et jour,
Si mes vers avaient des ailes,
Comme l'amour!




My verses would flee, sweet and frail,
To your garden so fair,
If my verses had wings,
Like a bird.

They would fly, like sparks,
To your smiling hearth,
If my verses had wings,
Like the mind.

Pure and faithful, to your side
They'd hasten night and day,
If my verses had wings,
Like love!



Translation from French to English copyright © by Richard Stokes

Composer: Reynaldo Hahn
Lyricist: Victor Hugo (1802-1885)
Published: Music: 1920 - Lyrics: 1856, from "Les contemplations"
Dedicated to Maria Hahn.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Reynaldo-Hahn
• song
• Victor-Hugo
• Bidú-Sayão
• French
• Lieder
• mélodies
• classical

[marioegorga]

Très élégant , l love Sayao

[exultates]

the best!

[5Julia68]

divine!

[vpo2g2]

Perfect.

[7inga7]

So beautifully sung; one of my favorite songs.

[yglofmi]

@elenikiroy Her pronunciation is not bad, not at all. I speak French and I understand perfectly what she sings.

[cantorandopera]

Anyone who criticizes this audio for any reason better be a greater artist than Ms. Sayao. So who exactly are you? This is just a small jewel. Flaws are part of the human condition. Singing perfectly just doesn't happen.  Enjoy this for what it is - ART!

[elenikiroy]

I do feel sorry for someone who cannot see the wood for the trees. The genius of this performance is not in its flaws. It is almost because of them. If you really want to analyse it technically, she is hardly ever with the orchestra either - she just does her own thing, but with such complete commitment and passion that it is breath-taking. Her pronunciation is also execrable, another delightful aspect of this historic recording.

[zamyrabyrd]

Sorry, but much of it, excepting the high notes, is under pitch. The breath at 1:23 really disturbs the line and other rhythmical distortions towards the end.

[RGMc39]

I remember when the original 78 came out. I could never get enough of it. I swore as a kid that it would be the first record that I would ever buy when I had the $ and record player. When that day arrived, I couldn't find a copy. Finally, years later, I found the re-issue on CD.

[elenikiroy]

This performance makes me cry every time. It is sublime.