| | The Habanera1
(usually pronounced Habanyaira) is one of the
big hits in an opera full of big hits, and, in its own
right is one of the most famous songs in the soprano
repertoire. Situated halfway through the first act of the opera it is
composed for mezzo-soprano and chorus.
The
lyrics are really quite sparkling. The mystery of love
is given a pungent philosophical examination by Carmen, who outlines a
personal vision of the 'reality of love'. This perception of a strong-minded
young woman, who attracts plenty of amorous attention, and who lives in a harsh human
environment, is beautifully structured in thought-provoking poetry.
At the time of its
premiere it must have been quite a shock to a modest theatre owner, cast, musicians and
audiences. But its most striking feature is the scintillating musical score,
with that strong Spanish rhythm. A song every soprano wants to sing? Well, it's
inevitably in that category; so go on, have go, be a Carmen for four-and-a-half minutes!
Habanera2
Carmen: Love's a mischievous, wilful bird,
Too wild to tame, too swift to snare,
Though you coax him by look or word,
Unless you please him, he's off elsewhere!
Vain to threaten him, vain to force,
If A is eloquent, B quite dumb,
But love likes B and to B he'll come.
Chorus
Vain to
threaten him, Vain to
force,
Carmen: That's love . . .
If A is eloquent, B quite dumb,
Carmen: Yes love . . .
Chorus: A's the fellow for love, of course,
Carmen: That's love . . .
Chorus: But love
likes B and to B he'll come.
Carmen: Yes love!
Carmen: Oh,
loves a rogue, a gypsy too,
As swift as light-ning and as free as air;
You don't love me, but I love you . .
And if I love you , then beware . .
Chorus: Oh yes take care!
Carmen: You don't love me, Oh no!
You don't love me, but I love you . .
Chorus: Oh yes take care!
Carmen: And if I love you, oh then . .
beware!
Chorus: Oh
love's a rogue, a gipsy too,
As swift as light-ning and as free as air;
You don't love me, but I love you . .
And if I love you , then beware . .
Oh yes take care!
Carmen: You don't love me, Oh no!
You don't love me, but I love you . .
Chorus: Oh yes take care!
Carmen: And if I love you, oh then . .
beware!
Carmen: Love's a bird that
you can't surprise,
No swift has wings more sure than his
Steal quite close to himself he flies,
But walk away and there he is.
All around you and in your breast
His flut-t'ring wings make sweetest play.
Do not cling to him, build no nest,
Or love will laugh and fly away . .
That's love . . .
Chorus: All around you and in your breast
His flut-t'ring wings make sweetest play.
Do not cling to him, build no nest,
Or love will laugh and fly away . .
Carmen: Oh,
loves a rogue, a gypsy too,
As swift as light-ning and as free as air;
You don't love me, but I love you . .
And if I love you , then beware . .
Chorus: Oh
yes, take care!
Carmen: You don't love me, Oh no!
You don't love me, but I love you . .
Chorus: Oh yes take care!
Carmen: And if I love you, if I love you, oh then . .
beware!
Chorus: Oh,
loves a rogue, a gypsy too,
As swift as light-ning and as free as air;
You don't love me, but I love you . .
And if I love you , then beware . .
Oh yes, take care!
Carmen: You don't love me, Oh no!
You don't love me, but I love you . .
Chorus: Oh yes take care!
Carmen: And if I love you, if I love you, oh then . .
beware!
Chorus: Oh yes take care!
Take . . .Care . . !
A couple of musical points worth listening out for, are:
 |
The work floats gently between D minor and D major.
(Starting in D minor, it changes to the major at bar 20, then back to minor
at bar 64, it finally changes to major at bar 80). |
| There is a persistent D natural below the bass clef to
start every
bar in the piece - whoops, sorry, not quite, it changes to D natural below middle C in the
final bar! But, perhaps you would have noticed that!! |
Can
you hear them? But, enough of the technicalities, we hope you enjoyed
our MusicSmiles
arrangement of Georges' masterpiece. Like to sing
it again? In French from the Vocal Score this time?
Habanera
Carmen: L'amour
est un oi-seau re-bel-le
Que nul ne peut ap-pri-voir-ser,
Et c'est bien en vain qu'on l'ap-pel-le,
S'il lui con-vient de re-fus-er.
Rien n'y fait, menace ou pri-è-re,
L'un par-le bien,-l'au-tre se tait;
Et c'est l'au-tre que je pré-fè-re
Il n'a rien dit;-mais il me plait . . .
L'a mour . . .!
Chorus: L'a-mour
est un oi-seau re-bel-le
Que nul ne peut ap-pri-voir-ser,
Et c'est bien en vain qu'on l'ap-pel-le,
S'il lui con-vient de re-fus-er.
Carmen: L'amour
. .!
L'amour
est en-fant de Bo-hême,
Il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi,
Si tu ne m'ai-mes pas. je t'ai-me;
Si je t'aime, prends garde à toi!
Chorus: Prends garde à toi!
Carmen: Si tu ne m'ai-mes pas,
Si tu ne m'ai-mes pas, je t'ai-me!
Chorus: Prends garde à toi!
Carmen: Mais si je t'ai-me, si je t'ai . . .me,
Prends gar-de_à toi . . .!
Chorus: L'amour
est en-fant de Bo-hême,
Il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi,
Si tu ne m'ai-mes pas. je t'ai-me;
Si je t'aime, prends garde à toi!
Prends garde à toi!
Carmen: Si tu ne m'ai-mes pas,
Si tu ne m'ai-mes pas, je t'ai-me!
Chorus: Prends garde à toi!
Carmen:
Mais si je t'ai-me, si je t'ai . . .me,
Prends gar-de_à toi . . .!
Chorus: à . . . toi . . .!
Carmen: L'oiseau que tu croy-ais sur-prendre
Battit de l'aile et-s'en-vo-la;
L'amour est loin, tu peux l'at-tendre;
Tu'ne l'at-tends plus, il est la!
Tout aut-tour de toi vi-te, vi-te,
Il vient, sèn va, puis il re-vient;
Tu crois le te-nir, il tè-vi-te;
Tu crois le vi-ter, il te tient!
Chorus: Tout aut-tour de
toi vi-te,
Il vient, sèn va, puis il re-vient;
Tu crois le te-nir, il t'é-vi-te;
Tu crois l'é vi-ter, il te tient!
L'amour
est en-fant de Bo-hême,
Il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi,
Si tu ne m'ai-mes pas, je t'ai-me;
Si je t'aime, prends garde à toi!
Chorus: Prends garde à toi!
Carmen: Si tu ne m'ai-mes pas,
Si tu ne m'ai-mes pas, je t'ai-me!
Chorus: Prends garde à toi!
Carmen:
Mais si je t'ai-me, si je t'ai . . .me,
Prends gar-de_à toi . . .!
Chorus: L'amour
est en-fant de Bo-hême,
Il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi,
Si tu ne m'ai-mes pas. je t'ai-me;
Si je t'aime, prends garde à toi!
Prends garde à toi!
Carmen: Si tu ne m'ai-mes pas,
Si tu ne m'ai-mes pas, je t'ai---me!
Chorus: Prends garde à toi!
Carmen:
Mais si je t'ai-me, si je t'ai . . .me,
Prends gar-de_à toi . . .!
Chorus: à . . . toi . . .!
Next, a lesser-known and well hidden duet - If
You Love Me?
Footnote 1. The
famous Habañera (French = Havanaise), declare my music dictionaries, was almost certainly inspired by a chanson
havan'aise - El Arreglito, a speciality of the Spanish composer Sebastian
Yradier (1809-65). However, it started way back in Africa , becoming a slow
Cuban song and dance in simple duple time and dotted rhythm (Habana =
Havana), and became very popular in Spain. Famous examples are in Carmen - see
above - and the Habanera for two pianoforte's by Ravel, later incorporated into
his orchestral work Rapsodie espagnole. Return
to story.
Footnote 2. This
MusicSmiles
arrangement of the song is dedicated to Georgina, who so magnificently sang the
part of Carmen (In English) in the Village Singers concert version of the opera. It was a
special pleasure to work with her. JEA
Return
to story.
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