Re Gilardin & Le Roi Renaud - Italian & French Song

My purposefully uses the overlapping aspects of modern Italian and French folk music, using instruments found in both traditions: a mandolin, accordion, and dulcimer. Some versions of the French song are in duple metre, but I used the version in triple metre to match the Italian one. Interestingly, the triple metre French song shows perfect syllabic and metric correspondence with other royal-themed historical French ballads like "La Fille au Roy Louis," which likely dated to the 1600's, showing at least continuity with earlier centuries, if not roots from that era.

[faryafaraji]

My purposefully uses the overlapping aspects of modern Italian and French folk music, using instruments found in both traditions: a mandolin, accordion, and dulcimer. Some versions of the French song are in duple metre, but I used the version in triple metre to match the Italian one. Interestingly, the triple metre French song shows perfect syllabic and metric correspondence with other royal-themed historical French ballads like "La Fille au Roy Louis, " which likely dated to the 1600's, showing at least continuity with earlier centuries, if not roots from that era.

French Lyrics:
Le roi Renaud de guerre revint, 
Tenant ses tripes entre ses mains
Sa mère était sur le creneau
Qui vit venir son fils Renaud.

«Renaud, Renaud, réjouis-toi!
Ta femme est accouchée d’un roi.»
«Ni de ma femme, ni de mon fils
Je ne saurais me réjouir.

Allez ma mère, portez devant.
Faites-moi faire un beau lit blanc.
Guère de temps m’y resterai, 
A la mie nuit trépasserai.

Mais faites-le moi faire ici bas, 
Que l’accouchée n’entende pas.»
Or, quand ce vint sur la mie nuit
Le roi Renaud rendit l’esprit.

Il ne fut guère le matin jour
Que les valets ont pleuré tous;
Il ne fut temps de déjeuner
Que les servantes ont pleuré.

«Et, dites-moi, mère m’amie, 
Que le valets pleurent ici?»
«Ma fille, en baignant les chevaux, 
Ont laissé noyer le plus beau.»

«Et, dites-moi, mère m’amie, 
Pour un cheval pleurer ainsi?
Quand Renaud reviendra
Plus beaux chevaux ramenera.

Mais dites-moi, mère m’amie
Que les servantes pleurent ici?»
«Ma fille, en lavant nos linceuls, 
Ont laissé aller le plus neuf.»

«Mais dites-moi, mère m’amie, 
Pourquoi un linceul pleurer ainsi?
Quand Renaud reviendra, 
Plus beaux linceuls on brodera.

Mais dites-moi, mère m’amie, 
Que le prêtres chantent ici?»
«Ma fille, c’est la procession
Qui fait le tour de la maison.»

Or, quand ce vint pour relever, 
A la messe elle voulut aller;
Or, quand arrive l’heure midi
Elle voulut faire ses habits.

«Et, dites-moi mère m’amie, 
Quels habits prendrai-je aujourd’hui?»
«Prenez le vert, prenez le gris, 
Prenex le noir pour mieux choisir.»

«Et, dites-moi, mère m’amie
Qu’est-ce que ce noir-là signifie?»
«Femme qui relève d’enfant, 
Le noir lui est plus bien séant.»

Quand elle fut dans l’église entrée, 
Un cierge on lui a présenté.
Aperçut, en s’agenouillant, 
La terre fraîche sous son banc.

«Et, dites-moi, mére m’amie, 
Pourquoi la terre est rafraîchie?»
Ma fille, ne puis plus le cacher
Renaud est mort et enterré.»

«Renaud, Renaud, mon réconfort, 
Te voilà donc au rang des morts;
Divin Renaud, mon réconfort, 
Te voilà donc au rang des morts!

Puisque le roi Renaud est mort, 
Prenez les clefs de mon trésor;
Prenez mes bagues et mes joyaux, 
Prenez bien soin du fils Renaud.

Terre, ouvres-toi, Terre, fends-toi, 
Que j’aille avec Renaud mon roi!»
Terre s’ouvrit, terre fendit, 
Et si fut la belle engloutie.

Piedmontese lyrics:
Re Gilardin, lü 'l va a la guera
Lü el va a la guera a tirar di spada

O quand 'l'è stai mità la strada
Re Gilardin 'l'è restai ferito

Re Gilardin ritorna indietro
Dalla sua mamma vò 'ndà a morire

O tun tun tun, pica a la porta
O mamma mia che mi son morto

O pica pian caro 'l mio figlio
Che la to dona 'l g'à 'n picul fante

O madona la mia madona
Cosa vol dire ch'i cantan tanto?

O nuretta, la mia nuretta
I g'fan 'legria ai soldati

O madona, la mia madona
Disem che moda ho da vestirmi

Vestiti di rosso, vestiti di nero
Che le brunette stanno più bene

O quand l'è stai 'nt l üs de la chiesa
D'un cirighello si l'à incontrato
Bundì bongiur an vui vedovella

O no no no che non son vedovella
g'l fante in cüna e 'l marito in guera

O si si si che voi sei vedovella
Vostro marì l'è tri dì che 'l fa terra

O tera o tera apriti 'n quatro
Volio vedere il mio cuor reale

La tua boca la sa di rose
'nvece la mia la sa di terra.

English translation of the French:
King Renaud returned from the war, carrying his guts in his hands. His mother was on the battlement; she saw her son Renaud coming.
"Renaud, Renaud, rejoice! Your wife has given birth to a king."  "I shall not be able to rejoice in my wife or my son.

Go, mother, go on ahead; make me a fine white bed.  Scarce any time remains to me: at midnight I shall die.
But make it for me down here, so that (literally: she-who-is-in-childbed) may not hear."  And when midnight came, King Renaud let go his soul.

It was not yet the dawn of the day, and the menservants were all weeping; it was not yet time for the morning meal, and the womenservants were all weeping.

"Ah, tell me, mother dear, why do our menservants weep?"  "My daughter, while bathing our horses, they have let the finest one drown."
"And why, mother dear, should they weep so for a horse?  When King Renaud returns, he will bring finer horses.

Ah, tell me, mother dear, why do our womenservants weep?"  "My daughter, while washing our linen sheets*, they have lost the newest."
"And why, mother dear, should they weep so for a linen sheet?  When King Renaud returns, he will buy finer linen sheets.

"Ah, tell me, mother dear, what is that hammering that I hear?"  "My daughter, it is the carpenters repairing the floor."
"Ah, tell me, mother dear, what is that ringing that I hear?"  "My daughter, that is the procession leaving for Rogation."

"Ah, tell me, mother dear, what are the priests singing?"  "My daughter, that is the procession going around the house."
Now, when it was time for her to get up again, she wanted to go to Mass; now, when eight days were passed, she wanted to get dressed.

"Ah, tell me, mother dear, which dress should I wear today?"  "Wear the green, wear the grey; black would be a better choice."
"Ah, tell me, mother dear, why the black?"  "Black is far more fitting for a women who rises from childbed."

Now, when they were in the middle of the fields, three shepherds went by, saying: "There is the wife of the lord who was buried the other day."
"Ah, tell me, mother dear, what are those shepherds saying?"  "They are telling us to increase our pace or we will miss Mass."

When she entered into the church, she was given a candle.  As she knelt down, she saw fresh earth beneath her pew.
"Ah, tell me, mother dear, why has the earth been turned over?"  "My daughter, I cannot hide it from you; Renaud is dead and buried."

"Renaud, Renaud my comfort, there you are in the ranks of the dead..."
Since King Renaud is dead, here are the keys to my treasure; take my rings and my jewellery; take good care of my son Renaud.

Open up, Earth, break apart, so that I may go with Renaud my king!"  The Earth opened, the Earth broke apart; thus was the fair maid swallowed up.

English translation of the Piedmontese:
King Gilardin was in the war,
Was in the war wielding his word. (bis)
When he was in the middle in the street(1),
King Gilardin was wounded.

King Gilardin goes back home,
At his mother’s house he wanted to die.
Bang, bang! He thumped at the door.
“O Mother, I am near to die.”

“Don’t thump so hard, my son,
Your wife has just given birth to a boy(2).”
“My Lady my mother-in-law(3)
What does all their singing mean?”

“O my daughter-in-law,
They want to entertain the soldiers.”
“My Lady my mother-in-law
Tell me, how shall I dress?”
“Dress in red or dress in white,
It fits brunettes perfectly .”

When she came to the church gate,
She encountered an altar boy:
“A wish you a good day, new widow.”
“By no means am I a new widow,
I’ve a child in its cradle and a husband at war.”

“O yes, you are a new widow,
Your husband was buried three days ago.”
“O earth, open up in four corners!
I want to see the king of my heart.”

“Your mouth has a taste of rose(4),
Whereas mine has a taste of earth.”

[nyko]

Now that Farya officially made an italian regional song:
Day 1 of waiting for Farya to make an interpretation of a tarantella

[a.c.]

Dude! I'm piedmontese, this feels like a goddamn christmas gift! Kudos to you ✨

[ashkandarakhshanjan]

As a person of Iranian heritage born and raised in Turin this is magnificent

[ariadnefatsi]

I originally came to this channel for the epic Greek history related songs, and I'm amazed by how much I'm learning and expanding my musical horizons.

Such a beautiful and heartbreaking song. Bless you, Farya, and greetings from Athens!

[giulia]

You made us italians and our french brothers cry with this one. You and Aurora did a terrific job, grazie❤️

[LilyLewis]

The last lines ‘your mouth tastes of rose, and mine of earth’ remind me of lines from the French song ‘Quand Je Menais Mes Chevaux Boire’- “Vois ma bouche est pleine de terre/ Et la tienne est pleine d'amour”

Both are so tragic and romantic to me!

[nikolaosboukouvalas]

I was first introduced to Re Gilardin by The Skaldic Bard. Nice to see you are also making a rendition.

[Seer_Of_The_Woodlands]

the song so beautiful but so sad. 10/10!

[ImmanuelTheKing]

Mrs. Aguilar has a cute and lovely voice and harmonizes well with you.

[pzalterias]

Je trouve ça fascinant de découvrir des versions cousines des chansons que je connais dans d'autres langues ! Merci pour cette découverte ! Et merci de garder tous ces patrimoines vivants à travers ton travail !

[vugtorf]

Merci à vous et votre chanteuse pour cette version magnifique, le Français et le Piémontais se marient si bien, vous saisissez aussi parfaitement les langues que la musique de chaque peuple c'est très juste et très beau. Je viens de découvrir votre chaîne et c'est un plaisir d'écouter tant de musiques différentes interprétées avec rigueur et coeur, à cette époque où dans tous les domaines tant de gens d'un bord comme de l'autre s'enferment dans des fantasmes paresseux au lieu de faire preuve d'honnêteté et d'efforts de recherche personnelle. Le moins qu'on puisse dire est que depuis la Révolution la France ne magnifie ni son passé ni son folklore populaire, c'est une joie de découvrir qu'ils existent cependant toujours pour des chercheurs d'où qu'ils viennent.

Et outre les beaux moments musicaux et les exposés passionnants, merci pour ce moment de rigolade où l'on peut voir un musicien au physique de prince persan interrompre son érudite et savante explication pour sacrer en français québécois sur son chaton mignon.

[cristienix]

As an italian I'm so happy you sang this song that is so culturally important to us! Well done Farya!

[alastor]

De la découverte de cette chanson chez Skaldic Bard jusqu'ici, C'est un pur plaisir d'entendre cette chanson à nouveau, merci Farya, et que Vive le Roy!

[Eugene-tmfm]

Damn, this is an extremely tragic song. Nice work once again Farya

[benoitbatailley]

Cette chanson est triste à mourir, mais belle à pleurer.
Encore merci Farya de faire vivre de tels chefs d'œuvre.

[beares]

Bravi Farya e Aurora! I am from Northern Italy and I can recognize the Piedmontese dialect. Thank you for this gem.

[davypeverell]

The moment I was waiting for: Farya singing in Piedmontese, my regional dialect. Love and greetings from Turin❤❤.

[gavenace]

Why are you so darn talented? But seriously, you do such a phenomenal job with your music!! The research, vocals, instruments, all perfection!

[seamusogdonn-gaidhligarain]

This is the most beautiful song you’ve done. Bravo, a Farya chòir