#paladilhe

[parmandil]

Émile Paladilhe's Au bord de l'eau, sung by Felicity Lott and Ann Murray (accompanied by Graham Johnson).

[emotionsincascades]

Émile Paladilhe: Psyché

Je suis jaloux, Psyché, de toute la nature ! Les rayons du soleil vous baisent trop souvent, Vos cheveux souffrent trop les caresses du vent, Quand il les flatte,  j’en murmure! L’air même que vous respirez Avec trop de plaisir passe sur votre bouche. Votre habit de trop près vous touche ! Et sitôt que vous soupirez Je ne sais quoi qui m’effarouche Craint, parmi vos soupirs, des soupirs égarés !

Pierre Corneille, Psyché, 1671

[operahands]

UnderAppreciated: "Psyché," Paladilhe

The Under-Appreciated of the Week goes to the stunning French art song, "Psyché" by Émile Paladilhe (1844-1926). Greek legend has it that Psyché wasbeautiful enough to make even Venus jealous. Venus eventually ordered her son, Cupid, to shoot Psyché with one of his arrows, in the hopes that she would fall in love with a strategically-placed ugly beast. But when the time comes, Cupid is so struck by her beauty that he shoots himself with his own arrow.

Psyché Revived by Cupid's Kiss, Antonio Canova, The Louvre

There are only a handful of recordings on YouTube - Spotify offers a few, namely Renée Fleming's version that is taken at her typical (under)tempo. But Beverly Sills delivers a rendition that does the song justice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ3Xw_Cy6VA

How can a song be so simple yet so haunting? If only Beverly's last 45 seconds were of a higher audio quality! 

A few lyrics, written by the infamous Corneille: Je suis jaloux, Psyché, de toute la nature. Les rayons du soleil vous baisent trop souvent..I am jealous, Psyché, of all of Nature. The sun's rays kiss you too often..

[actortraveltips]

I just heard this for the first time today. "Psych" set by Paladilhe, poem by Pierre Corneille Beautiful poem, can't wait to sing it. Piece starts at 4:43 on video I am jealous, Psyche, of all nature! The sun's rays kiss you too often, Your hair suffers too much the wind's caresses. As it flatters you, I mutter in protest! The same air that you breathe with so much pleasure passes over your mouth. Your dress touches you too closely! And whilst you sigh I do not know what it is that startles me Fear, amidst your sighs, those distracted sighs!