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Today we will take it easy and listen to the “Baïlèro” from Chants d'Auvergne (Songs of the Auvergne) — a collection of folk songs by Joseph Canteloube.

The Auvergne is a region in central France, south of Lyon. The landscape gave Cantaloube plenty of material— it’s full of hills and forests, valleys, and gorgeous villages and towns.

Cantaloube started writing this collection of (30) folk songs on a train traveling through the southern French countryside in 1923. With “Baïlèro”, Canteloube began the cycle on that train.

It took him more than thirty years to complete his compilation.

“Baïlèro” (“The Shepherd's Song”) is a favorite of many from the collection. It’s sung in Auvergnat, a dialect of the Occitan, the historical language spoken in Auvergne.

The story goes that Canteloube first heard this sensual melody being sung across a mountain pasture. It’s the call of a young woman to a shepherd (the Baïlèro) on the other side of a valley. She asks him to bring his flock and join her, for the grass is greener on her side.

🎧 Listen here (6 minute listen): Mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade singing “Baïlèro” from Chants d'Auvergne by Joseph Canteloube, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Antonio de Almeida

Shepherd across the river,
You’re hardly having a good time,
Sing baïlèro lèrô
No, I’m not,
And you, too, can sing baïlèro

Shepherd, the meadows are in bloom.
You should graze your flock on this side,
Sing baïlèro lèrô
The grass is greener in the meadows on this side,
Baïlèro lèrô

Shepherd, the water divides us,
And I can’t cross it,
Sing baïlèro lèrô
Then I’ll come down and find you,
Baïlèro lèrô

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Here are some other interpretations of “Baïlèro”:

Anna Moffo
Renée Fleming (listen here for a short excerpt of Renée talking about these songs)
Victoria de los Ángeles
Kiri Te Kanawa

If you are looking for a recording of all of the Chants d'Auvergne, you can find one here with Dawn Upshaw and Kent Nagano.

Thank you for reading (and listening),

Michele

PS. If you missed last week’s selection, we covered the Verdi opera that needs name tags! (hint: it’s Simon Boccanegra)

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