The BnF does not possess a dedicated ‘Moore Collection’, however the following music sources are extant in the Music Department, 2 rue Louvois: one copy each of Numbers 1 to 8 of the Irish Melodies, J. Power editions and one copy of each of the following individual songs all W. Power editions: Oh breathe not his name, The meeting of the waters, Oh for the swords of former time, No not more welcome and Eveleen’s Bower. Over fifty sources for arrangements and works inspired by Moore are also extant in the library (Louvois and Opéra sites). These include early printed editions of Berlioz’s Neuf Mélodies, selections from Félicien David’s two act opéra-comique Lalla Rouk arranged for voice with piano accompaniment and seven copies (including some duplicates) of The last rose of summer. Six of the extant arrangements of The last rose are for piano and are by the following composers: Mendelssohn, Sigismund Thalberg, Henri Cramer and Joseph Ascher. The single song arrangement extant in the collection is by Mme. Caroline Eugénie who is accredited with both the words and music for this arrangement. The lyrics of Eugénie’s French interpretation of The last rose are transcribed below:
La Dernière Rose
Dernière rose de l’été,
Hélas! tu fleuris solitaire:
Tes soeurs ont perdu leur beauté,
Leurs feuilles ont jonché la terre.
Nul bouton ne doit plus fleurir,
Tes compagnes se sont fanées!
Comme elle tu vas te flétrir au vent qui les a moissonnées!
Mais non, je ne laisserai pas
Se faner tes feuilles si belles:
Tes sours redoutent les frimats,
Il faut t’endormir avec elles!
Je veux disperser tes débris
Sur la couche froide et glacée
Qu couronne l’horizon gris,
Lorsque ta saison est passée!
Et moi, j’ai poursuivi longtemps
Les doux rêves de mon enfance;
Mais hélas! quand fuit le printemps,
Alors s’envole l’espérance!
Qui voudrait vivre lorsqu’il perd
Le coeur qu’il aima sans partage?
Pour moi, ce monde est un désert
Où nul n’entend plus mon langage.
This research trip was kindly and generously funded by an RIA Charlemont Grant.
http://www.bnf.fr/fr/acc/x.accueil.html