Cathy Berberian | La Flûte de Pan

Cathy Berberian
'La Flûte de Pan' from 'Les Chansons de Bilitis'
Composer: Claude Debussy
Poem by: Pierre Louÿs
Video: John Knap
www.jasperina.net
With special thanks to:
Jennifer Paull | advice and poem translation to English
www.amoris.com
Nick Mollee | art work 'Lovers kissing'
Cathy Berberian | dress design
PolderbitS software: www.polderbits.com
La Flûte de Pan
Pour le jour des Hyacinthies,
il m'a donné une syrinx faite
de roseaux bien taillés,
unis avec la blanche cire
qui est douce à mes lèvres comme le miel.
Il m'apprend à jouer, assise sur ses genoux ;
mais je suis un peu tremblante.
il en joue après moi,
si doucement que je l'entends à peine.
Nous n'avons rien à nous dire,
tant nous sommes près l'un de l'autre;
mais nos chansons veulent se répondre,
et tour à tour nos bouches
s'unissent sur la flûte.
Il est tard,
voici le chant des grenouilles vertes
qui commence avec la nuit.
Ma mère ne croira jamais
que je suis restée si longtemps
à chercher ma ceinture perdue.
The pan pipes
The day of the Festival of Hyacinthus
he gave me a Syrinx, a set of pipes made
from well-cut reeds
stuck together with white wax
which is as sweet to my lips as is honey

Sitting on his knees, he taught me to play
But I am a little uncertain (I tremble)
so he plays the music after me
so softly that I can hardly hear

We have nothing to say to each other
we are so close we don't need words
But our songs wish to answer each other
from one mouth to the others'
that are united by the flute

It's late
This is the song of the green frogs
which starts as night falls
my mother will never believe
that it took me so long
to find my lost belt

[@sonicsnap1173]

Lovely song, beautifully performed! Fantastic Debussy! Wonderful Cathy Berberian!

[@ShaulLeket-Mor]

Very consistently good diction!

[@jacquelinesalvin7158]

Quelle vie !