La Marseillaise - your comments
As I said in my about this site section, I like people writing to me with their comments. Lucky for me then that quite a few of you have. Here are some of the more interesting, the more bizarre and, for I'm as vain as the next man, the more flattering.
For added humour value the messages are left as-is, which means I take no responsibility for their content.
I could dedicate an entire site to my reactions to these messages, but I'll leave you with one: what I actually said was that AOL's original integrated (and not IE4) browser was "frankly rather pathetic." By the way, just to clarify, I think IE sucks as well...
Assuming I've got round to putting them up (a non-trivial assumption), you can find some French "fan letters" here. Thanks to Karen Wilson for that fantastic phrase. Hope she doesn't mind if I plunder it!
More recent letters are at the end.
From SalThomp
Subject: Childern's songs Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 11:57:52 EDT From: SalThomp <SalThomp@aol.com> To: marseillaise@babasse.com
Hi i am sallie an education resource teacher in KS. i am looking for a french
folk song to teach elementary students when they visit our international
marketplace program. each school visit for one day and we present hands-on
activities about cultures from around the world.
now that ive said all that, i need some new music for our music and dan
station. the song &/or dance needs to simple(something that can be taught in
20 min.)
if you could lead me forward in my search, i would appreciate it.
thanks.
From Tony Ryan
Subject: You're rubbish at translating French Date: Sun, 26 Apr 1998 13:40:26 +0000 From: A J Ryan <tonyryan@xtra.co.nz> To: marseillaise@babasse.com
is really the french national anthem???!!!!
its to looooooonnnnnnggggggggg!!!!!
From Geri & Ray
Subject: La Marseillaise Date: Tue, 28 Apr 1998 19:28:17 EDT From: Geriragan <Geriragan@aol.com> To: marseillaise@babasse.com
Thank you for the words and the music. We are going to France in July and we
are taking a conversational Frence class at the local community college.
Now if you would just sing the French words to the music we would understand
and appreciate it even more, s'il vous plait.
Merci , Geri & Ray
From Jan Lattunen
Subject: Marseillaise Date: Fri, 03 Jul 1998 13:53:41 +0300 From: Jan Lattunen <atropos@insomniac.keltti.jyu.fi> To: marseillaise@babasse.com
Salut,
Il faut que je t'ecris en englais, parceque je suis
tres mauvais en ecrit, et je parle comme un vache espanol.
You have a great marseillaise page there. It's a shame, that
you didn't have a longer version in mp3. The au was quite short,
I'm afraid. If you wanna a mp3 version of the wav, I can enc it
and put for you to download...
But anycase, I just wondered if you would know a place where
I could get a (mp3) version of "Il est vreiment phenomenal". I'd
love to get my hands on that, but I'm unable to find it in Finland
in the music shops, or in the web as mp3. damn :/
Well, cheers and beers. Tonight France will win Italy.
ps. CCS in kinda cool, but it doesn't work well in Solaris NS :(
Sincerely,
--
Jan Lattunen, atropos@insomniac.keltti.jyu.fi
http://insomniac.keltti.jyu.fi/ & ~/atropos
From Jan Lattunen
Subject: Re: Marseillaise Date: Mon, 06 Jul 1998 13:12:14 +0300 From: Jan Lattunen <atropos@insomniac.keltti.jyu.fi> To: marseillaise@babasse.com
Iain Patterson wrote:
> That would be great. I personally love MP3 and I did try to
convert the .mov file that's also on the page into a .wav so I could
enc it.
Yea, well I had the l3enc, but the son of a bitch would code 8 bit wav:s
to mp3:s. I'll send the wav to a friend and he'll have to do it
with a window machine.
> Finnish shop order the record via a French shop? You'd have to pay
I guess that that is one way, I'll just have to wait when I'll go to
France next time, and buy it from there.
> Blanc, Desailly and Thuram. If France DO win, and I hope they don't,
I think it will be on penalties.
Hmmm. that went quite right...
> But we English don't like to talk about penalties #:~(
Well, we don't even have a team in the games here in Finland. I guess
that we concentrate more in Ice Hockey.
> Explain how it doesn't work, and I'll try to fix it.
It's the Netscape on Solaris. It doesn't support quite a few features
of ccs. Font size, style. You'd have to take Netscape's source code,
and fix it there.
I'll let you know when I get the mp3 done...
Bye,
--
Jan Lattunen, atropos@insomniac.keltti.jyu.fi
"My Grandfather was a lesbian, so I guess that
makes me quarter an lesbian" -Cartman, SP.
From AdrienWWW@aol.com
Subject: Marseillaise Date: Wed, 8 Jul 1998 12:45:43 EDT From: AdrienWWW@aol.com To: marseillaise@babasse.com
About the sheet music, you need to scan it as though it was a black and white
picture not a colour one, otherwise you need to use colour ink which is a
bugger on your wallet. Which are bigger, JPEGs or GIFs? Each picture takes ages
to download so please compress it and when scanning put down the quality of the
picture as it does not matter if what your scanning is black and white. Upping
the esolution will be suicide in itself. Think about it! The pictures will take
even longer to load.
AOL may be crap in terms of price but you do get decent services and has IE4
integrated into the browser so claiming the AOL browser is shite is ludicrous.
You can print in AOL and your site comes out how it was meant to be.
As for your prediction, CROATIA will be going out tonight OK so yours is
wrong. Shame Holland did not beat Brazil as they deserved to.
From Patrick Botti
Subject: Marseillaise Date: Thu, 09 Jul 1998 17:12:44 -0400 From: Patrick Botti <Patrickb@dragonsys.com> To: marseillaise@babasse.com
This is great.
Merci mille fois de la part du Chef d'Orchestre Français du French
Symphony of Boston, who is going to conduct an entire POPS/Classical
Bastille Day Concert in Boston on July 15, and needed to give a copy
(via web) of the music (word and music) to the singer who is going to
sing it.
Excellent travail...
Patrick Botti
From Stéphane Roussan
Subject: Marseillaise - merci! Date: Thu, 09 Jul 1998 23:23:13 -0400 From: Stephan Roussan <sr@vm1.com> To: marseillaise@babasse.com
We're hosting a huge party for the finals of the Coupe du Monde.
Such an event could not be complete without the words to the
Marseillaise!
Thanks for your helpful site.
ALLEZ LES BLEUS!!!!!!!
ALLEZ ALLEZ, ON VA GAGNER!!!!!!!!
Stéphane Roussan
From Margaret Varra
Subject: Marseillaise Date: Tue, 14 Jul 1998 09:07:01 -0700 From: Pro Video <margaret@provid.com> To: marseillaise@babasse.com
What fun and thank you. I've always wondered about the words as I don't
know French, wow America The Beautiful seems quite milk toasty next to this
blood curdling herald.
Margaret Varra
From Charlotte L. Kovalenko
Subject: Marseillaise comments Date: Wed, 09 Sep 1998 13:15:02 -0700 From: Charlotte L. Kovalenko <clkdar@gte.net> To: marseillaise@babasse.com
Thank you so very much for having a site for the Marseillaise. I am
making a trip to France at the end of September and even though I had
lived there 42 years ago, I had forgetten the words. I have never seen a
translation of the Marseillaise so I thank you for that as well.
Charlotte L Kovalenko, Seattle, WA
From David and Beth James
Subject: Other Marseillaise translations Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 00:08:10 -0700 From: David & Beth James (personal) <drdavej@pioneer.nevada.edu> To: marseillaise@babasse.com
Thank you for preparing this interesting Web page with the
several different English translations, all of them interesting.
Nothing beats the original French, however, for combined effect
or horror and beauty.
Sincerely,
From Anthony Wareham
Subject: Marseillaise help Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 17:00:20 +0100 From: Anthony Wareham <anthony.wareham@lineone.net> To: marseillaise@babasse.com
You may have saved my daughter's life with your web page. Serious trouble from her French teacher if she didn't find any information on the Marseillaise.
From Lee Jones
Subject: Comments Date: Wed, 21 Oct 1998 07:38:36 +0930 From: Lee Jones <ljones@merlin.net.au> To: marseillaise@babasse.com
Iain,
I want to thank you for your efforts in putting this site together,
and especially for your translation. I recently became a fan of
"military music" after taping some cd's for my partner.
I had, like most people probably, heard the Marseillaise many times,
but had only a vague idea of what the words were about. One of the
cd's I taped is called "Marches et Fanfares" played by
La Garde Republicaine. It has the Marseillaise sung by a woman in
such a stirring way that when I listened to it it sent a shiver
down my spine - although I couldn't understand the words her voice
was so pure and so full of conviction and passion that the words
seemed almost unimportant. For the last few days I have been
playing it on my way to work in the mornings and I feel inspired and
powerful. I went looking on the web for the words because I thought
such a rousing piece of music must have the interest of many people.
I like this quote from the notes with the cd I mentioned above:
"It (military music) is the sort of music which makes you feel
you are on the road to somewhere and it will be worth getting
there." I wish you well with your studies and thanks again,
Lee Jones
From Karen Wilson
Subject: Marseillaise comments Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1999 20:12:32 -0500 From: Karen Wilson <wilsing@pmassed.net> To: marseillaise@babasse.com
Merci beaucoup. I am a music teacher creating a passport curriculum for
my students. I want them to learn the national anthems of all the countries
we are studying. I was interested in the historical background of
"La Marseillaise". Your site has provided me with a great deal
of information.
I love searching the web because you never know what you will find.
In scrolling down your list of fan letters and comments I came across the
name, Patrick Botti. While I am not the singer who needed the words
and music of this anthem, I am a singer who (with my husband) has sung
under his baton many times.
You just never know what you may find!
Karen Hastie-Wilson
Massachusetts, USA
From Page Gordon
Subject: Marseillaise help Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1999 19:42:17 -0600 From: David Gordon <flashpt@textas.net> To: marseillaise@babasse.com
Hello, thought your page was great, I have been wanting to learn the
French national anthem for awhile now. I am a WWII reenactor, my
impression is of a member of the French Resistance. How can we not know
the Marseillaise? The only thing that I missed from your page was a sound
file with the lyrics! Keep up the good work..
Page Gordon
From Karl Demuth
Subject: Thanks Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 21:47:21 -0500 From: Karl Demuth <karl.w.demuth@worldnet.att.net> To: marseillaise@babasse.com
I am a retired university adminstrator on Long Island, New York. I happen to be teaching a course on the French Revolution, a subject with which I have had some familiarity over the years, to a group of fellow retirees at my old university. As part of the course I planned to play Berlioz' arrangement of La Marseillaise in a few weeks when I get to 1792. I have the Zinman CD, but unaccountably it does not include any lyrics. I am not nearly as experienced on the Internet as you evidently are, but I thought on the off chance I would try a search. First I came up with the French lyrics, which I do want, but not many of my students can read French. Then I found your remarkable site. I was astonished ---and gratified--- to find that you provided the English translation. I am still stunned. Thank you very much! I will certainly credit you by name to my students when I give them the lyrics and play the CD.
From Thierry Sabathé
Subject: Marseillaise Date: Tue, 6 Apr 1999 16:14:44 +0200 (MET DST) From: Thierry Sabathé <thierry.sabathe@lemel.fr> To: marseillaise@babasse.com
Congratulations Iain !
Your translation notes are particularly perspicacious. Until the age of
18, I had not understood what the 3rd stanza exactly meant. "Contre"
sounded like a verb but "counter us from tyranny" was not very
clear. Your first translation is the good one: there is an inversion indeed
(but the second interpretation also is defensible). The syntax of the whole
song departs substantially from "canonical syntax"
(subject+verb+direct object+indirect object+adverbial phrases) although French
language does this more readily than English; so the whole Marseillaise sounds
odd (/beautiful) even to French hears.
As for Tony Ryan's remark, the latter must feel reassured: most of the
French (90)know only the first verse and the refrain. According to my
personal experience, 5016000000000f them are not even aware there is more
than one verse!
Recently, some stated it is too bloody and suggested alternative lyrics:
quite expectedly the result often is flabby and wet and does not convey
any more the terrible fate of a population fighting the rest of Europe for
its survival (I say that regarless of whether they were right or wrong, of
course). I think that if the French want to adopt a new national anthem
they should just invent a new one rather than distort the Marseillaise.
And remember who they owe their present happiness, too.
Thierry Sabathé
From Thomas Thiers
Subject: Marseillaise audio files Date: Sun, 2 May 1999 01:39:22 +0200 From: Thomas Thiers <oceanside@infonie.fr> To: marseillaise@babasse.com
Hey guys,
Don't worry your site is pretty cool and I love France so no problem.
C U
From Susan Shelton
Subject: About la Marseillaise Date: Thu, 8 Jul 1999 12:18:15 -0500 From: Susan B. Shelton <sshelton@bitstreet.com> To: marseillaise@babasse.com
Merci Beaucoup! I decided to have a Bastille Day party and thought,
"Wouldn't it be neat to include the sheet music to La Marseillaise in my
invitations. Started looking, and, le voila! It didn't even take much
time to find it. I'll be the only one flying the Tricolor on July 14th
in Abilene, Texas, rest assured. And now, I even have the sheet music,
to boot. TOO COOL. Love your website, Francophile that I am. Happy
Bastille Day to you!
sshelton@bitstreet.com
From Sarah Milledge
Subject: Marseillaise comments Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1999 14:08:06 +1000 From: Sarah Milledge <smtravel@milledge.com.au> To: marseillaise@babasse.com
Had a lot of fun listening to the Marseillaise on Bastille Day. Lots of us
Francophiles down here in Melbourne Australia. If you come, you must visit
FRANCE SOIR RESTAURANT or the Alliance Francaise in St Kilda on a Tuesday
night.
Ciao.
Sarah Milledge
From Pat Aakhus
Subject: Marseillaise Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1999 10:08:19 EDT From: Pat Aakhus <rocdesers@aol.com> To: marseillaise@babasse.com
Thank you for scanning La Marseillaise into the web, so we can sing it at
dinner tonight! A joyful Bastille Day to you--we wish we were in Paris--
Best,
Pat Aakhus
Evansville, Indiana
From MzEllie2
Subject: Marseillaise liberal translation Date: Mon, 6 Sep 1999 22:56:39 EDT From: <MzEllie2@aol.com> To: marseillaise@babasse.com
Everytime we see "Casablanca" - and the singing of LaMarseillaise
drowns out
the Germans Watch on the Rhine - we stand up and hum the tune. Thanks to
you, we now have the lyrics.
Awfully sweet of you.
From colette owen
Subject: About la marseillaise Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 17:19:21 -0500 From: "colette owen" <colette.x.owen@sympatico.ca> To: <comments@marseillaise.org>
Being French, I want to express my appreciation at the
very sincere and devoted efforts made to translate, as well
as possible, both the true meaning and the spirit of the words of our national anthem, which is not a small task!
Congratulations!
And I want to extend a special note of gratitude to Marvin
Harold Cheiten who provided an excellently singable version
of the 1st stanza ( though we, French, definitely think of
France as Motherland, not Fatherland). Thanks so much!
From FuturisticKitty@aol.com
Subject: About la marseillaise To: comments@marseillaise.org Date: Fri, 23 Apr 2004 11:45:49 EDT
I came across this page whilst looking for sheet music. One of my greatest passions is playing the violin, only rivalled by my love for France. So this score was very much appreciated! I will play it with much gusto.
From Diana Borja
Subject: Votre site sur la marseillaise To: comments@marseillaise.org From: diana_borja&cuttingedgeinfo.com Date: Tue, 13 July 2004 16:34:58 -0500
We are a pharmaceutical business intelligence company in North Carolina and we just realized that tomorrow is Bastille Day.
We downloaded the lyrics and posted them on our wall so that we can all see the beautiful words of your anthem.
From Zoë Freeman
Subject: About la marseillaise To: comments@marseillaise.org From: Nola Freeman <sidhenf&earthlink.net> Date: Wed, 14 July 2004 21:01:19 -0700
Hello,
How delighted I was this evening to find your brave website.
I am accustomed to listening to the Berlioz La Marseillaise by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra on my
local classical music radio station each year. Today I missed the broadcast and
felt very disappointed. I went in search on the internet, not daring to hope
that I would find the exact work I wanted to hear. But, Voila! Here you are.
Thanks so much.
From Lanny Gibson
Subject: Marseillaise lyrics To: comments@marseillaise.org From: Lanny Gibson <gibsons&cswnet.com> Date: Wed, 14 July 2004 11:32:58 -0500
Merci beaucoup pour votre assistance aujourdhui...le quatorze de juillet! Les gens de France sont nos amis toujours, n'est-ce pas?
From I Gerard
Subject: About la Marseillaise To: comments@marseillaise.org From: Lulu <lulumagenta&comcast.net> Date: Thu, 15 Jul 2004 01:34:58 -0700
Hello,
I enjoyed reading your translation compendium. An American friend of
mine was asking me for the full load of the Marseillaise, and I am
stunned at how easy it was to get all the scoop and more on it!
However, I shall make one remark: your doubts about the translation of
"carriere" -in the "Children's verse" number 6- by the Elysee people
into "fight"
-you suggested "pit" as more appropriate, and I can't deny your visual
evocation of a death pit to be understandable, though quite singular -
seems to reveal you as a non-native French speaker. (Correct me if I
am wrong!) Carriere is "career", and in the context of la Marseillaise,
this would be "la carriere militaire", the military career, which at
the time of Rouget de Lille, was a very obvious one ( a religious
career was a "vocation religieuse", but a "carriere" was what soldiers
and civil servants entered deliberately. Everybody else... just did
what their fathers did to put food on their plate....) Probably in
1792, the word "carriere " did not even need the qualificative
"military" to be understood as such.
I think, therefore, that the word "fight " was judiciously chosen by
the official translators, because -as you point out, a good translation
transmutes the essence, not the shell of the words- the modern meaning
of "career", in French or in English, is virtually entirely descriptive
of administrative or business ambitions, and such modern connotations
for children singing about the urge to defend their homeland would seem
curiously prosaic, un-idealistic, or out of sync with times where few
adolescents would consider the military as an ideal choice career.
Children who sing of longing to enter the military career nowadays,
smack rather of political incorrectness, no? I like "fight" better
indeed...
What do you think?
Thank you for the great and fun work on your site.
I.Gerard
Send your comments to comments@marseillaise.org