To hear this Romance: http://w1.neuronnexion.fr/~goninet/salon.htm
«Louis-Philippe, who was criticized for his bourgeois tastes, liked nothing better than the romance, a musical form that was no less bourgeois for being fashionable in the intimate salons of affluent Parisian society. The uninterrupted success of the romance extended from the end of the Ancien Régime in 1789 to the monarchy established by the July Revolution of 1830, and professionals and amateurs (among them Queen Hortense) wrote them by the thousands. With simple, pleasant, even naive melodies, accompanied by piano or harp, the melodies of the romance were set to couplets and short refrains usually expressing the torments of love. The romance corresponds to a certain extent to today's popular song. Indeed, it touched alI levels of society , including the fashionable women of the aristocracy or bourgeoisie, who were delighted to be able to shine in their salons without too much effort. A wonderfully intimate art, the romance was also extremely accessible, easily learned by adolescents, and a good introduction to music even for relatively uneducated families. The celebrated 'Plaisir d'amour' (Love's Pleasure) by Martini remains one of the flowers of this art, and those close to Louis-Philippe recognized it as one of the pieces the royal famiIy never tired of hearing.» Patrick Barbier. Opera in Paris, 1800-1850: A Lively History. Portland, Oregon:Amadeus Press, 1995 [1987], p. 18-19.
«Plaisir d’amour»
Words by Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian (1755-1794)
Music
by Jean-Paul Martini (1706-1784)
To hear this Romance: http://w1.neuronnexion.fr/~goninet/salon.htm
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Plaisir d’amour ne dure qu’un moment, Chagrin d’amour dure toute la vie. J’ai tout quitté pour l’ingrate Sylvie, Elle me quitte et prend un autre amant. Plaisir d’amour ne dure qu’un moment, Chagrin d’amour dure toute la vie. 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! Plaisir d’amour ne dure qu’un moment, Chagrin d’amour dure toute la vie. |
The pleasure of love lasts but a moment, Disappointment in love lasts a lifetime. I left everything for the ungrateful Sylvie, She then leaves me for another. The pleasure of love lasts but a moment, Disappointment in love lasts a lifetime. As long as this water flows gently Towards this stream which runs alongside the prairie, I will love you, repeated Sylvie… Though the water still flows, she has changed. The pleasure of love lasts but a moment, Disappointment in love lasts a lifetime. |
«Le temps des cerises» (1867)
Words by Jean-Baptiste Clément (1837-1903)
Music by Antoine Renard
To
hear this Romance: home.sol.no/~vals/commune4.html
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Quand nous en serons au temps des cerises Et gai rossignol et merle moqueur Seront tous en fête Les belles auront la folie en tête Et les amoureux du soleil au cœur Quand nous chanterons le temps des cerises Sifflera bien mieux le merle moqueur Mais il est bien court le temps des cerises Où l’on s’en va deux cueillir en rêvant Des pendants d’oreilles Cerises d’amour aux robes pareilles Tombant sous la feuille en gouttes de sang Mais il est bien court le temps des cerises Pendants de corail qu’on cueille en rêvant Quand vous en serez au temps des cerises Si vous avez peur des chagrins d’amour Évitez les belles Moi qui ne crains pas les peines cruelles Je ne vivrai pas sans souffrir un jour Quand vous en serez au temps des cerises Vous aurez aussi des chagrins d’amour J’aimerai toujours le temps des cerises C’est de ce temps-là que je garde au cœur Une plaie ouverte Et Dame Fortune, en m’étant offerte Ne saura jamais calmer ma douleur J’aimerai toujours le temps des cerises Et le souvenir que je garde au cœur
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When cherry time comes And the gay nightingale and mockingbird Are in a festive mood Pretty girls will think foolish thoughts And lovers hearts will be filled with sunshine When we sing of cherry time The mockingbird will whistle all the better But cherry time is very brief That time when two by two we dreamily pick Dangling earrings Love cherries with similar flesh Dangling under leaves like drops of blood But cherry time is very brief Like red earrings we dreamily pick When you find yourself in cherry time If you are afraid of being disappointed in love Avoid pretty girls I who am not afraid of cruel sorrows Will not live without suffering one day When you find yourself in cherry time You will also have disappointments I will always love cherry time A time from which dates my heart’s Open wound And even Dame Fortune Could not calm my sorrow I will always love cherry time And the memories I cherish in my heart |
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Photo : CD Cover
«La vie en rose» (1949)
Words and music by Édith Piaf
To
hear «La vie en rose»: www.geocities.com/Paris/Palais/8910
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Des yeux qui font baisser les miens Un rire qui se perd sur sa bouche Voilà le portrait sans retouche De l’homme auquel j’appartiens Quand il me prend dans ses bras Qu’il me parle tout bas Je vois la vie en rose Il me dit des mots d’amour Des mots de tous les jours Et ça me fait quelque chose Il est entré dans mon cœur Une part de bonheur Dont je connais la cause Et lui pour moi Moi pour lui dans la vie. Il me l’a dit, l’a juré pour la vie Et dès que je l’aperçois Alors je sens en moi Le cœur qui bat Des nuits d’amour à plus finir Un grand bonheur qui prend sa place Des ennuis, des chagrins s’effacent Heureux heureux à en mourir Quand il me prend dans ses bras Qu’il me parle tout bas Je vois la vie en rose Il me dit des mots d’amour Des mots de tous les jours Et ça me fait quelque chose Il est entré dans mon cœur Une part de bonheur Dont je connais la cause C’est toi pour moi Moi pour toi, dans la vie Tu me l’as dit, m’as juré pour la vie Et dès que je t’aperçois Alors je sens en moi Le cœur qui bat |
Eyes that cause mine to lower A laugh that loses itself on his mouth Here is an untouched up picture Of the man to whom I belong When he takes me in his arms And speaks softly to me I see life through rose coloured glasses He tells me words of love Everyday words And it does something to me Into my heart has come A measure of happiness Whose cause I know He for me And I for he in this life. This is what he told me, swore to And as soon as I see him I feel within me My beating heart Endless nights of love Flooded by great happiness Cares and sorrows disappear Happiness to die for When he takes me in his arms And speaks softly to me I see life through rose coloured glasses He tells me words of love Everyday words And it does something to me Into my heart has come A measure of happiness Whose cause I know It’s you for me I for you in this life That is what you told me, swore to And as soon as I see you I feel within me My beating heart |
«Milord» (1953)
Words by Georges Moustaki, Music by Madeleine Monnot
To
hear «Milord»: www.geocities.com/Paris/Palais/8910
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Allez, venez, Milord Vous asseoir à ma table Il fait si froid dehors Ici c’est confortable Laissez-vous faire Milord Et prenez bien vos aises Vos peines sur mon cœur Et vos pieds sur une chaise Je vous connais, Milord Vous ne m’avez jamais vue Je ne suis qu’une fille du port Une ombre de la rue Pourtant je vous ai frôlé Quand vous passiez hier Vous n’étiez pas peu fier, dame Le ciel vous comblait Votre foulard de soie Flottant sur votre épaule Vous aviez le beau rôle On aurait dit le roi Vous marchiez en vainqueur Au bras d’une demoiselle Mon Dieu qu’elle était belle J’en ai froid dans le cœur Refrain. Dire qu’il suffit parfois Qu’il y ait un navire Pour que tout se déchire Quand le navire s’en va Qu’il emmène avec lui La douce aux yeux si tendres Qui n’a pas su comprendre Qu’elle a brisé votre vie L’amour ça fait pleurer Comme quoi l’existence Ça vous donne toutes les chances Pour les reprendre après Allez, venez Milord Vous avez l’air d’un môme Laissez-vous faire, Milord Venez dans mon royaume Je soigne les remords Regardez moi, Milord Vous ne m’avez jamais vue Mais vous pleurez, Milord Ça, je ne l’aurais jamais cru Eh, mais, voyons, Milord Mais, souriez-moi Milord Mieux que ça Un petit effort Voilà, c’est simple Allez, riez, Milord Allez, chantez Milord Mais oui, dansez Milord |
Come, come, Milord And sit at my table It is so cold outside And so comfortable here Let yourself go, Milord Make yourself comfortable Put your sorrows on my heart And your feet on a chair I know you, Milord Though you have never seen me I’m only a sailor’s girl A shadowy figure in the streets Yet, I brushed against you When you walked by, yesterday My but you were proud Heaven had given you everything With your silk scarf Floating on your shoulder You were playing a wonderful part You looked like the King You walked like a conqueror On the arm of a young woman God ! She was so beautiful It gives me a chill
All it takes, sometimes Is the arrival of a ship For everything to fall apart When the ship leaves Taking on board The beautiful tender-eyed girl Who didn’t understand That she was ruining your life Love makes one cry And life Gives you all the chances Just to take them back Come, come, Milord You look like a little boy Just let yourself go, Milord Come into my kingdon I heal remorse Look at me, Milord You have never seen me But you are crying, Milord That I would never have believed Come, come, now, Milord Smile, now, Milord Better than that Make a little effort There, it’s easy Now, laugh, Milord Now, sing, Milord Yes, now dance, Milord |
«Je ne regrette rien» (1956)
Words by C. Dumont , Music by M. Vaucaire
To
hear «Je ne regrette rien»: www.geocities.com/Paris/Palais/8910
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Non, rien de rien Non, je ne regrette rien Ni le bien qu’on m’a fait Ni le mal, tout ça m’est bien égal Non, rien de rien Non, je ne regrette rien C’est payé, balayé, oublié Je me fous du passé Avec mes souvenirs J’ai allumé le feu Mes chagrins, mes plaisirs Je n’ai plus besoin d’eux Balayé les amours Avec leurs trémolos Balayé pour toujours Je repars à zéro Non, rien de rien Non, je ne regrette rien Ni le bien, qu’on m’a fait, Ni le mal, tout ça m’est bien égal Non, rien de rien Non, je ne regrette rien Car ma vie, car mes joies Aujourd’hui, Ça commence avec toi |
No, nothing at all No, I don’t regret anything Neither the good Nor the bad, it’s all the same No, nothing at all No, I don’t regret anything It is paid for, swept away, forgotten I care nothing for the past With my memories I lit a fire My sorrows, my joys I don’t need them any longer Swept away, my loves With their quivering voices Swept away forever I am starting from scratch No, nothing at all No, I don’t regret anything Neither the good, nor the bac It’s all the same No, nothing at all No, I don’t regret anything For my life, for my joys From now on They start with you |
THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS
Edelman, Amy Holman. The Little Black Dress. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997.
The first little black dress is most often attributed to Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, appearing via a simple illustration in the May 1926 issue of American Vogue. The dress, meant to be worn during the day and personalized by its wearer, encouraged comparisons to Ford’s shiny black standardized motor car. Both were sleek and represented a concept available to the masses. Vogue magazine predicted the little black dress would “become the sort of uniform for all women of taste.” (14)
As women became more important, their clothing was less so. That a little black dress gave a woman room to define herself set it apart from the overly done costumes that came before. It took a combination of factors—including the right time, the right design, and the right black dress—to create an immediate classic. (16, 18)
Although other [little black dresses] existed before [Chanel’s], hers is the one by which they are defined. Richard Martin, curator of the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute, thinks that Chanel is most often credited with the creation of the little black dress because it’s so easy to assimilate its characteristics into her philosophy of style. In 1923, Chanel told Harper’s Bazaar that “Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.” To her, modesty was the chicest was of proclaiming one’s superiority. She wanted to get rid of everything that put women at the mercy of convention, that got in their way, that slowed them down. The little black dress was not merely another design for Chanel. It was part of a larger idea […]. (19-20)
Legendary French singer Édith Piaf, nicknamed the “little black sparrow”, wore little black dresses for much the same reasons Georgia O’Keefe did [to achieve a look of maximum elegance with a minimum of time and money]. Hubert de Givenchy thinks that they helped her fully express her emotions and talent. In Piaf, Margaret Crosland says of her style that, “her looks reflected no conventional glamour, but whenever she sang she grew beautiful… She did not dance or reveal million-dollar legs, she could hardly have been a rival to the queen of the Folies-Bergère, preferring a plain black dress to ostrich plumes and strass.” Piaf first sang in public in 1935 and wore black because, living in poverty on the street, she had no other clothing. Crosland further notes of Piaf than, “There was more to her style than the mere possession of a voice, [she had] a theatrical presence which in its way was anti-theatre, anti-glamour. Her style was her own.” That style included performing, for most of her career, in simple, little black dresses. (133)
Link to a Piaf documentary, in English. Various interviews.
Clips from songs.
http://soundprint.org/documentaries/more_info/piaf.phtml
To
listen to the music you can dowload
