Lost in the fire of last year's Pierrot centennial was translation. After all, it was Otto Erich Hartleben's German--translated from the original French of Albert Giraud--that Arnold Schoenberg had set.
And with Stanley Appelbaum's Anglicised Hartleben turning 20 next year (not to mention having its own Twitter account @PierrotTweets), Classicalite figured a new English language translation was passed due.
O ancient fragrance from the age of fairy tales, Again you intoxicate my senses!
— Pierrot (@PierrotTweets) June 3, 2011
To wit, over the past 21 weekdays or so, we've be offering a new take on each of Giraud/Hartleben/Appelbaum's 3x7 poems...alongside some of our favorite performances.
ANCIENT SCENT
O, ancient scent from fabled times
Ravish again my senses.
A crazy many roguish pranks
Vault through the easy air.
With cheerful longing I return
To pleasures I've long looked down upon.
O, ancient scent from fabled times,
Ravish me again!
All my gloom I've set aside.
Through my window, sunshine-framed,
I love watching the clear, free world.
And my dreams go forth in blissful stretches...
O, ancient scent--from fabled times.
