Today’s choice was originally a work for piano, then sketched out for orchestra and chorus in 1887, dedicated to the Comtesse Greffulhe.
At a performance in 1891 he moved the choir offstage to allow more space for dancers, and it was later used in 1917 by Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes alongside music by Ravel.
The lyrics are ‘on the romantic helplessness of man’ and were written by the cousin of the Comtesse, Robert de Montesquiou:
C’est Lindor, c’est Tircis et c’est tous nos vainqueurs!
It’s Lindor! it’s Tircis! and all our conquerors!
C’est Myrtille, c’est Lydé! Les reines de nos coeurs!
It’s Myrtil! it’s Lydé! the queens of our hearts!
Comme ils sont provocants! Comme ils sont fiers toujours!
How provocative they are, how proud they are always!
Comme on ose régner sur nos sorts et nos jours!
How they dare reign over our fates and our days!
Faites attention! Observez la mesure! Ô la mortelle injure!
Pay attention! Observe the measure! O the deadly insult!
La cadence est moins lente! Et la chute plus sûre!
The pace is slower! And the fall more certain!
Nous rabattrons bien leur caquets! Nous serons bientôt leurs laquais!
We’ll tone down their chatter! Soon we’ll be their lackeys!
Qu’ils sont laids! Chers minois! Qu’ils sont fols! (Airs coquets!)
How ugly they are! Sweet faces! How crazy they are! Coquettish airs!
Et c’est toujours de même, et c’est ainsi toujours!
And it’s always the same! And will be so always!
On s’adore! On se hait! On maudit ses amours!
They love one another! They hate one another!
Adieu Myrtille, Eglé, Chloé, démons moqueurs!
They curse their loves! Farewell, Myrtil! Eglé! Chloe!
Adieu donc et bons jours aux tyrans de nos coeurs!
Mocking demons! Farewell and good days to the tyrants of our hearts.
It is scored for double woodwind, horns, and strings. It uses a pizzicato accompaniment ot a long conjunct melody in the woodwind. Fauré’s tempo is quicker than it is usually recorded (no slower than 100bpm).
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