Invitation to the journey (Invitation au voyage)

Invitation to the journey
after the poem Invitation au voyage by Charles Baudelaire
English version by S N Solomons
music composed by D W Solomons
performed by
Stephen Taylor (countertenor)
and
Jonathan Leonard (piano)

from the CD "Songs of Solomons"
available at
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/dws


Score available from
http://dwsolo.load.cd/sheetmusic/sm-85040_invitation_to_the_journey_for_alto_...

Images
Woman reading at sunset, sunset over Waterloo, river and boat scenes and wall painting of "eyes tear-welled": Garry Knight (Flickr - Creative Commons)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8176740@N05/

"Soft gleaming chairs" (Creative Commons)
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:GearedBull
and 10 Downing Street

Flowers
Ambrosius Bosschaert (PD from the Indianapolis Museum of Art)

"Sun" ceiling
Petar Zlatkov (Creative Commons sharealike 3.0)


Original poem by Baudelaire:

Mon enfant, ma soeur,
Songe à la douceur,
D'aller là-bas, vivre ensemble!
Aimer à loisir,
Aimer et mourir,
Au pays qui te ressemble!
Les soleils mouillés,
De ces ciels brouillés,
Pour mon esprit ont les charmes,
Si mystérieux,
De tes traîtres yeux,
Brillant à travers leurs larmes.

Là, tout n'est qu'ordre et beauté,
Luxe, calme et volupté.

Des meubles luisants,
Polis par les ans,
Décoreraient notre chambre;
Les plus rares fleurs
Mêlant leurs odeurs
Aux vagues senteurs de l'ambre,
Les riches plafonds,
Les miroirs profonds,
La splendeur orientale,
Tout y parlerait
A l'âme en secret
Sa douce langue natale.

Là, tout n'est qu'ordre et beauté,
Luxe,calme et volupté.

Vois sur ces canaux
Dormir ces vaisseaux
Dont l'humeur est vagabonde;
C'est pour assouvir
Ton moindre désir
Qu'ils viennent du bout du monde.
Les soleils couchants
Revêtent les champs
Les canaux, la ville entière
D'hyacinthe et d'or;
Le monde s'endort
Dans une chaude lumière

Là, tout n'est qu'ordre et beauté,
Luxe,calme et volupté. Charles Baudelaire
============================



English version by S N Solomons


My sister, oh my child, think of that life so mild,
dwelling together, loving at leisure,
loving and dying and in your very land.
The brimming suns of those wan skies
evoke such spells:
charms without reason, as with the treason of eyes tear-welled.
All there is form and beauty, sensual serenity.

Soft gleaming chairs, stroked by the years
gracing our chamber and rare flowers
mingling their odour with scent of amber.
Sumptuous ceilings infinite mirrors gracing our chamber,
and subtle splendours:
all would accord secrets: sweet secrets to the soul in their own words.
And all is form and beauty, sensual ecstasy.


On the canal float and rock the boats in errant mood.
It is to soothe your every whim from far they come.
The setting sun enflames the town, the fields, canals alike, in gold and hyacinth,
while the world sinks into a warm warm light.
There all is formal beauty, calm sensuality.
© S N Solomons

Category:

Music

Tags:

• invitation
• voyage
• baudelaire
• solomons
• countertenor
• piano
• taylor
• leonard
• alto
• art song
• soft gleaming chairs
• eyes
• tears
• impressionist
• dw solo
• Classical Music
• Meditation

[dwsolo]

The singer is Stephen Taylor in this case :-)

[fluiera]

excelent excelent excelent

it inspire me

subcriebd

[bersa888]

I should write (more) songs myself... this is inspiring :-)

[mradaChris]

Very lovely piece.  Enjoyed my listen.

chris.

[8thumbs2fingers]

You have such a wonderful voice David , I love this beautiful song ! ... Thank you for sharing this amazing performance ..