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Antoine Watteau, Hector Berlioz, Jean de Florian, Jean Paul Égide Martini, Kathleen Battle, Micheline Walker, Plaisir d'amour, Wikipedia, words and music
L’Embarquement pour Cythère, Antoine Watteau (1684 – 1721)
Wikipedia‘s entry on Plaisir d’amour is very informative. For instance, it even contains the lyrics for the song. I will therefore provide a point-form summary of the story of the song, using the Wikipedia entry. There are several pop music settings of this song. Nana Mouskouri ‘s interpretation is particularly delightful, but I have not been able to embed the video.
(please click on the picture to enlarge it) La Surprise, by Antoine WatteauPlaisir d’amour
- The words, or lyrics, based on a poem by Jean de Florian (1755–1794), were written in 1780;
- The text was set to music by Jean Paul Égide Martini in 1784;
- In 1859, Hector Berlioz (1803–1869), a Romantic composer, arranged the piece for orchestra
Words for Plaisir d’amour
Refrain: Plaisir d’amour ne dure qu’un moment. Chagrin d’amour dure toute la vie.The pleasure of love lasts only a moment.
The pain of love lasts a lifetime.
1)
J’ai tout quitté pour l’ingrate Sylvie.
Elle me quitte pour prendre un autre amant.
I left everything for the ungrateful Sylvia.
She is leaving me for another lover.
Refrain
2)
“Tant que cette eau coulera doucement,
Vers ce ruisseau qui borde la prairie,
Je t’aimerai”, me répétait Sylvie.
L’eau coule encore, elle a changé pourtant.
“As long as this water will run gently
Towards this brook which borders the meadow,
I will love you,” Sylvia told me repeatedly.
The water still runs, but she has changed
Refrain
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© Micheline Walker
August 13, 2012
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