Quant j’ai ouy le tabourin

 

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

Text by Charles, Duc d’OrlEans (1394-1465)

 

Quant j’ai ouy la tabourin
When I hear the tambourine

 

Sonner, pour s’en aller au may,
Sound calling us to May,

 

En mon lit n’en ay fait affray
I did not let it frighten me in my bed

 

Ne levé mon chief du coissin;
or lift my head from my pillow,

 

En disant: il est trop matin saying,
“It is too early,

 

Ung peu je me rendormiray:
I will go back to sleep.”

 

Jeunes gens partent leur butin;
young jump from partner to partner

 

De nonchaloir m’accointeray
Not even bothering to remember you

 

A lui je m’abutineray
From him, I’ll move on

 

Trouvé l’ay plus prouchain voisin;
Finding a lover who is conveniently close by.

 

 

This piece was performed on Octarium’s Ode to Music Concert, November 2003.