Instrumental Duet Bassoon,Instrumental Duet,Voice - Digital Download SKU: A0.576770 Composed by David Warin Solomons. Contemporary,Renaissance. Score and parts. 2 pages. David Warin Solomons #429021. Published by David Warin Solomons (A0.576770). Setting of Ronsard's poem A Cassandre for speaking voice and bassoon In the sound sample the poem is spoken in modern French by my father S N Solomons who also created an English version as shown below The bassoon part is based on the song To Cassandra for alto and guitar, using my father's translation, which is also available on this site Mignonne, allons voir si la rose Qui ce matin avoit desclose Sa robe de pourpre au Soleil, A point perdu ceste vesprée Les plis de sa robe pourprée, Et son teint au vostre pareil. Las ! voyez comme en peu d'espace, Mignonne, elle a dessus la place Las ! las ses beautez laissé cheoir ! Ô vrayment marastre Nature, Puis qu'une telle fleur ne dure Que du matin jusques au soir ! Donc, si vous me croyez, mignonne, Tandis que vostre âge fleuronne En sa plus verte nouveauté, Cueillez, cueillez vostre jeunesse : Comme à ceste fleur la vieillesse Fera ternir vostre beauté. [English translation by SN Solomons] Darling, come see the rose so red, Which this morn timidly had spread Her mantle to the eye of day. Come see if she has lost this e'en Her crimson pleated robe's soft sheen, That same blush which on your cheek plays. See how in but a paltry hour She has let fall her ailing flower. Her beauty lies there in the dust! Alas! How cruel is Mother Nature, Since such a blossom can endure Only from trembling dawn to dusk. Darling you must indeed believe, Whilst innocence within you cleaves The bud and blooms in purity, Garner the gifts of tender youth, For, like this flower, age in sooth Will sadly spoil and tarnish beauty.].