Il n’y a pas d’amour heureux: Georges Brassens

Georges Brassens
Il N’y A Pas D’amour Heureux lyrics

Pome de Louis Aragon
Musique : Georges Brassens

Rien n’est jamais acquis l’homme ni sa force
Ni sa faiblesse ni son coeur et quand il croit
Ouvrir ses bras son ombre est celle d’une croix
Et quand il croit serrer son bonheur il le broie
Sa vie est un trange et douloureux divorce
Il n’y a pas d’amour heureux.
2Sa vie elle ressemble ces soldats sans armes
Qu’on avait habills pour un autre destin
quoi peut leur servir de se lever matin
Eux qu’on retrouve au soir dsarms incertains
Dites ces mots ma vie et retenez vos larmes
Il n’y a pas d’amour heureux.
3Mon bel amour mon cher amour ma dchirure
Je te porte dans moi comme un oiseau bless
Et ceux-l sans savoir nous regardent passer
Rptant aprs moi ces mots que j’ai tresss
Et qui pour tes grands yeux tout aussitt moururent
Il n’y a pas d’amour heureux.
4Le temps d’apprendre vivre il est dj trop tard
Que pleurent dans la nuit nos coeurs l’unisson
Ce qu’il faut de malheur pour la moindre chanson
Ce qu’il faut de regrets pour payer un frisson
Ce qu’il faut de sanglots pour un air de guitare
Il n’y a pas d’amour heureux

Saint of the Day for Saturday, May 30th, 2015: St. Joan of Arc

Saint of the Day for Saturday, May 30th, 2015

St. Joan of Arc

St. Joan of Arc is the patroness of soldiers and of France. On January 6, 1412, Joan of Arc was born to pious parents of the French peasant class, at the obscure village of Domremy, near the province … continue reading

More Saints of the Day

St. Joan of Arc St. Anastasius XV St. Exuperantius St. Ferdinand III of Castile St. Giuseppe Marello St. Hubert St. Joseph Marello Bl. Lawrence Richardson

St. Luke Kirby St. Madelgisilus Bl. Maurus Scott Bl. Richard Newport Bl. Thomas Cottam St. Venantius St. Walstan Bl. William Filby

Bizet – Carmen Suite No.2 – Danse Bohème , great compositions/performances

Bizet – Carmen Suite No.2 – Danse Bohème

panharmonicon

Published on Oct 20, 2012/3588 views

Georges Bizet
Carmen Suite No.2 – Danse Bohème

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

This article is about the opera. For other uses, see Carmen (disambiguation).

Carmen
Opera by Georges Bizet
Illustration from Journal amusant, 1875
Librettist	Ludovic Halévy Henri Meilhac
Language	French
Premiere	3 March 1875 – Opéra-Comique, Paris

Carmen is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on a novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first performed at the Opéra-Comique in Paris, on 3 March 1875, and at first was not particularly successful. Its initial run extended to 36 performances, before the conclusion of which Bizet died suddenly, and thus knew nothing of the opera’s later celebrity.

Galli-Marié as Carmen

The opera, written in the genre of opéra comique with musical numbers separated by dialogue, tells the story of the downfall of Don José, a naïve soldier who is seduced by the wiles of the fiery Gypsy, Carmen. José abandons his childhood sweetheart and deserts from his military duties, yet loses Carmen’s love to the glamorous toreador Escamillo, after which José kills her in a jealous rage. The depictions of proletarian life, immorality and lawlessness, and the tragic death of the main character on stage, broke new ground in French opera and were highly controversial. After the premiere, most reviews were critical, and the French public was generally indifferent. Carmen initially gained its reputation through a series of productions outside France, and was not revived in Paris until 1883; thereafter it rapidly acquired celebrity at home and abroad, and continues to be one of the most frequently performed operas; the “Habanera” from act 1 and the “Toreador Song” from act 2 are among the best known of all operatic arias. Later commentators have asserted that Carmen forms the bridge between the tradition of opéra comique and the realism or verismo that characterised late 19th-century Italian opera.

The music of Carmen has been widely acclaimed for its brilliance of melody, harmony, atmosphere and orchestration, and for the skill with which Bizet musically represented the emotions and suffering of his characters. After the composer’s death the score was subject to significant amendment, including the introduction of recitative in place of the original dialogue; there is no standard edition of the opera, and different views exist as to what versions best express Bizet’s intentions. The opera has been recorded many times since the first acoustical recording in 1908, and the story has been the subject of many screen and stage adaptations.

this pressed: Inspector general: Some NY police use chokehold as first response|info 24.us

NEW YORK (Reuters) – A new inspector general blasted the New York City Police Department on Monday for failing to punish officers who used banned chokeholds on citizens, sometimes as a first response in a confrontation.

The first official report by police Inspector General Philip Eure comes a month after New York was shaken first by a grand jury’s decision not to indict an NYPD officer in the chokehold death of Eric Garner and then by the killing of two NYPD officers by a gunman avenging the Staten Island man’s death.

It looked at 10 recent cases in which the NYPD’s Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), an independent agency tasked with investigating excessive force claims, concluded officers used chokeholds, which are banned by police department regulations. The cases were documented between 2009 and July 2014 and do not include Garner’s death on July 17, 2014.

Among the 10 cases was a Bronx high school student who was walking away from school officials disciplining her on Jan. 8, 2008, and was placed in a chokehold by a police officer assigned to the building, the report said.

EW YORK (Reuters) – A new inspector general blasted the New York City Police Department on Monday for failing to punish officers who used banned chokeholds on citizens, sometimes as a first response in a confrontation.

The first official report by police Inspector General Philip Eure comes a month after New York was shaken first by a grand jury’s decision not to indict an NYPD officer in the chokehold death of Eric Garner and then by the killing of two NYPD officers by a gunman avenging the Staten Island man’s death.

It looked at 10 recent cases in which the NYPD’s Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), an independent agency tasked with investigating excessive force claims, concluded officers used chokeholds, which are banned by police department regulations. The cases were documented between 2009 and July 2014 and do not include Garner’s death on July 17, 2014.

Among the 10 cases was a Bronx high school student who was walking away from school officials disciplining her on Jan. 8, 2008, and was placed in a chokehold by a police officer assigned to the building, the report said.

via Inspector general: Some NY police use chokehold as first response.

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this pressed for #jesuischarlie: World Leaders Head Paris March Honoring Terror Victims – ABC News

Home> International

World Leaders Head Paris March Honoring Terror Victims

Jan 11, 2015, 11:21 AM ET

By ABC News via Good Morning America

PHOTO: The crowd gather at Republique square in Paris, France, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2015.

The crowd gather at Republique square in Paris, France, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2015.

Peter Dejong/AP Photo

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Roughly one million people – including leaders from around the world – today marched as part of “a cry for freedom” to honor those killed in this week’s terror attacks in Paris.

The march began Sunday afternoon at the Place de la Republique, near the Charlie Hebdo offices where 12 people were killed Wednesday.

People huddled in the windy streets – some appearing solemn, some upbeat – marching with French flags and “Je suis Charlie” signs. Portions of the crowd spontaneously burst into applause as they marched.

via World Leaders Head Paris March Honoring Terror Victims – ABC News.

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from the Telegraph: Paris shootings: Crowds join ‘Unity’ march for Charlie Hebdo attacks, in pictures

Paris shootings: Crowds join ‘Unity’ march for Charlie Hebdo attacks, in pictures (click to access the article at the Telegraph!)

 

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From NPR (National Public News)News: From Threats Against Salman Rushdie To Attacks On ‘Charlie Hebdo’

From Threats Against Salman Rushdie To Attacks On ‘Charlie Hebdo‘
http://n.pr/14pQfRP

When Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khomeini issued a 1989 fatwa calling for the killing of British writer Salman Rushdie, many in the West could scarcely believe a literary novel would prompt an international death threat.

We’ve come a long way since then.

Radical Islamists now issue threats against cartoonists, writers and filmmakers with such frequency that they barely cause a stir. Actual attacks have been carried out several times over the past decade, and French authorities suspect Muslim extremists in Wednesday’s slaughter of 12 people in Paris, including eight journalists at the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

To see how these threats and attacks have evolved over the past quarter-century, consider al-Qaida‘s most-wanted list, published in 2013 in its online magazine, Inspire.

A couple of things stand out in the article titled “Wanted: Dead or Alive for Crimes Against Islam.” First, it attracted little attention because it’s the kind of thing the group does regularly. Second, the group did not target Western political or military leaders — the people who have actually waged war against the group.

The Sonnet

A sonnet is a poem with 14 lines, invented in 13th-century Italy and perfected by Petrarch. The Italian sonnet is divided into an octave and a sestet. The octave states a problem, and the sestet gives its resolution, with a clear break between the two sections. When the sonnet reached England in the 16th century—chiefly through translations of Petrarch’s works—poets changed its meter, rhyme scheme, and line grouping, creating the Elizabethan sonnet. What is the origin of the term “sonnet”? More… Discuss

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today’s birthday: Jacques Chirac (1932)

Jacques Chirac (1932)

Chirac, a French political leader, was president of France from 1995 to 2007, served twice as prime minister, and was the mayor of Paris for nearly two decades. As president, he sought to reduce unemployment, cut the deficit, and strengthen ties with Germany. In the early 2000s, Chirac was implicated in a number of corruption scandals, and, in 2011, he was convicted on corruption charges. In 2002, Chirac survived an attempt on his life during celebrations of what French national holiday? More… Discuss

#Giacomo_Puccini : né le 22 décembre 1858 en Toscane, il est mort le 29 novembre 1924 à Bruxelles en Belgique) — Stéphane Bergès (@Revizorsb)

#Giacomo_Puccini : né le 22 décembre 1858 en Toscane, il est mort le 29 novembre 1924 à Bruxelles en Belgique) pic.twitter.com/8ZyUXlAU6R

— Stéphane Bergès (@Revizorsb) November 29, 2014

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GHEORGHIU & ALAGNA – La Bohème – Sono andati? (Final scene)

Alice Bathory

Angela Gheorghiu as Mimì and Roberto Alagna as Rodolfo sing “Sono andati? Fingevo di dormire” in the final scene of Puccini‘s opera ‘La Bohème’, the connection between them is amazing, a really moving and charming performance!
With Annamaria Dell’Oste as Musetta and Franck Ferrari as Marcello.
(Orange, August 2, 2005)

this day in the yesteryear: Scuttling of the French fleet in Toulon (1942)

Scuttling of the French fleet in Toulon (1942)

When Nazi Germany occupied northern and western France in 1940, the coastal city of Toulon fell under Vichy jurisdiction in the so-called unoccupied zone in the south. The center of French naval power since the 19th century, Toulon housed much of the French fleet. When, in 1942, Germany finally occupied all of France and Toulon’s capture appeared imminent, the French scuttled much of the fleet rather than allow the vessels to fall into German hands. What was the German mission in Toulon called? More… Discuss

November 22 – Feast date for St. Cecilia, patron saint of music— Classical KUSC

November 22 – Feast date for St. Cecilia, patron saint of music. pic.twitter.com/Nbb0jgVlyu

— Classical KUSC (@ClassicalKUSC) November 23, 2014

Song for Saint Cecilia

kenhare

Uploaded on May 30, 2010

composed by Ken Johnston, sung in May 2007 by the Garleton Singers, conducted by Stephen Doughty, in San Gimignano.
Recorded by Ken Hare, with permission.

 

this day in th eyesteryear: Peyo Introduces The Smurfs (1958)

Peyo Introduces The Smurfs (1958)

The Smurfs, or Les Schtroumpfs in French, are a fictional race of forest-dwelling creatures that stand just “three apples high” and have blue skin. The Belgian cartoonist Peyo introduced Smurfs to the world, but English speakers perhaps know them best from the Hanna-Barbera Productions animated television series. The Smurf franchise has spawned movies, television shows, figurines, and countless other types of merchandise. How did Peyo come up with the name for his famous creatures? More… Discuss

Madame de Pompadour

Madame de Pompadour became King Louis XV‘s mistress in 1745 and remained his confidante until her death. Of middle-class origin, she owed her success mainly to her intelligence and capabilities. She was a devoted patron of the arts and was a tastemaker in matters of art and culture. However, she was less astute in the political arena, as exemplified by her encouragement of the French alliance with Austria that involved her country in the disastrous Seven Years’ War. How did she die? More… Discuss

this pressed at EUZICASA: from Encyclopédie Larousse en ligne – préhistoire

 

Encyclopédie Larousse en ligne – préhistoire.

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A la découverte de l’encyclopédie Larousse (access here)

A la découverte de l’encyclopédie Larousse (access here)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Twelve Variations “Ah, vous dirai-je, maman” (Piano Solo): make music part of your life series

FROM:
   steven960929

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Twelve Variations “Ah, vous dirai-je, maman” (Piano Solo)

Twelve Variations on “Ah vous dirai-je, Maman”, K. 265/300e, is a piano composition by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, composed when he was around 25 years old (1781 or 1782). This piece consists of twelve variations on the French folk song “Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman”. The French melody first appeared in 1761, and has been used for many children’s songs, such as “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”, “Baa, Baa, Black Sheep” and the “Alphabet Song“.

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Marlene Dietrich “Je m’ennuie” 1933

from: LilyMarleneDietrich

Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992) enregistrée le 15 juillet 1933 à Paris.

De ce que fut mon enfance,
Je n’ai plus de souvenirs.
C’est peut-être que la chance
Ne m’offrit pas de plaisirs.
Et chaque jour qui se lève
Ne m’apporte aucun espoir.
Je n’ai même pas de rêve
Quand luit l’etoile du soir.

Moi, je m’ennuie,
C’est dans ma vie
Une manie.
Je n’y peux rien..
Le plaisir passe,
Il me dépasse.
En moi sa trace
Ne laisse rien.
Partout je traîne,
Comme une chaîne,
Ma lourde peine,
Sans autre bien.
C’est dans ma vie
Une manie.
Moi, je m’ennuie…

Par de longs vagabondages,
J’ai voulu griser mon coeur,
Et souvent, sur mon passage,
J’ai vu naître des malheurs.
Sur chaque nouvelle route,
A l’amour j’ai dû mentir ;
Et le soir, lorsque j’écoute
La plainte du vent mourir…

Moi, je m’ennuie…
C’est dans ma vie
Une manie.
Je n’y peux rien..
Le plaisir passe,
Il me dépasse.
En moi sa trace
Ne laisse rien.
Partout je traîne,
Comme une chaîne,
Ma lourde peine,
Sans autre bien.
C’est dans ma vie
Une manie.
Moi, je m’ennuie…

Great AudioBooks: LES MISERABLES – Victor Hugo Part 1 Livre Audio Francais Audio Book

[youtube.com/watch?v=wBil_otwndI]

LES MISERABLES – Victor Hugo Part 1 Livre Audio Francais Audio Book [GreatAudioBooks]

Jean Valjean as Monsieur Madeleine. Illustration by Gustave Brion
Author	Victor Hugo
Illustrator	Emile Bayard
Country	France
Language	French
Genre	Epic novel, historical fiction
Publisher	A. Lacroix, Verboeckhoven & Cie.
Publication date	1862

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historic musical moments: Amédée-Ernest Chausson – Poeme for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 25 ( State Symphony Orchestra – Kyrill Kondrashin, David Oistrakh – violin)

[youtube.com/watch?v=lR4_O79RMSY]

Amédée-Ernest Chausson – Poeme for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 25

State Symphony Orchestra – Kyrill Kondrashin, David Oistrakh – violin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ernest Chausson, cabinet card photo by P. Frois, Biarritz (France), ca. 1885, Bibliothèque nationale de France
Amédée-Ernest Chausson (French: [ʃosɔ̃]; 20 January 1855 – 10 June 1899) was a French romantic composer who died just as his career was beginning to flourish.

Life

Ernest Chausson was born in Paris into a prosperous bourgeois family. His father made his fortune assisting Baron Haussmann in the redevelopment of Paris in the 1850s. To please his father, Chausson studied law and was appointed a barrister for the Court of Appeals, but had little or no interest in the profession. He frequented the Paris salons, where he met celebrities such as Henri Fantin-Latour, Odilon Redon, and Vincent d’Indy.

Before deciding on a musical career, he dabbled in writing and drawing.

Chausson page-turning for Debussy, Luzancy, 1893

In October 1879, at the age of 25, he began attending the composition classes of the opera composer Jules Massenet at the Paris Conservatoire; Massenet came to regard him as ‘an exceptional person and a true artist’. Chausson had already composed some piano pieces and songs. Nevertheless, the earliest manuscripts that have been preserved are those corrected by Massenet. At the Paris Conservatoire, Chausson also studied with César Franck. Chausson interrupted his studies in 1881, after a failed attempt to win the Prix de Rome. [1] During 1882 and 1883, Chausson, who enjoyed travel, visited Bayreuth to hear the operas of Wagner. On the first of these journeys, Chausson went with d’Indy for the premiere of Wagner’s Parsifal, and on the second trip he went with his new spouse Jeanne Escudier (1862-1936), with whom he was to have five children.

From 1886 until his death in 1899, Chausson was secretary of the Société Nationale de Musique. In his own home (22 Boulevard de Courcelles, near Parc Monceau), he received a great many eminent artists, including the composers Henri Duparc, Gabriel Fauré, Claude Debussy, and Isaac Albéniz, the poet Mallarmé, the Russian novelist Turgenev, and the impressionist painter Monet. Chausson also assembled an important collection of paintings

Death

Chausson’s tomb, Père Lachaise, Paris

When only 44 years old,

Chausson died while staying at one of his country retreats, the Château de Mioussets, in Limay, Yvelines. Riding his bicycle downhill, Chausson hit a brick wall and died instantly. The exact circumstances remain unclear; although apparently a freak accident, there has been the suggestion of suicide, as Chausson had been suffering from depression for some time. This suicide theory was propounded by Debussy’s biographer Edward Lockspeiser,^[1] but has been firmly rejected more recently by Chausson’s own biographer Ralph Scott Grover.^[2]

Chausson was buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, his funeral attended by many leading figures of the arts, including Duparc, Fauré, Albeniz, Redon, Edgar Degas, Auguste Rodin, Henri de Régnier, Pierre Louÿs, and Debussy, although his friendship with Debussy had ended abruptly five years earlier following his disapproval of Debussy’s promiscuity.^[3][4]

Eponymy

A small park, Square Ernest Chausson, in the 17th arrondissement of Paris is named in his honour.

Music

Further information: List of compositions by Ernest Chausson

Ernest Chausson, photograph by Guy & Mockel, Paris, ca. 1897, Bibliothèque nationale de France.

The creative work of Chausson is commonly divided into three periods. In the first, which was dominated by Massenet, the composer exhibits primarily fluid and elegant melodies. The second period, dating from 1886, is marked by a more dramatic character, deriving partly from Chausson’s contacts with the artistic milieux in which he moved. From his father’s death in 1894 dates the beginning of his third period, during which he was especially influenced by his reading of the symbolist poets and Russian literature, particularly Turgenev, Dostoyevsky, and Tolstoy.

Chausson’s work is deeply individual, but it does reflect some technical influences of both Wagner and his other musical hero Franck. Stylistic traces of Massenet and even Brahms can be detected sometimes. In general, Chausson’s compositional idiom bridges the gap between the ripe Romanticism of Massenet and Franck and the more introverted Impressionism of Debussy.

Several delicate and admirable songs came from Chausson’s pen. He completed one opera, Le roi Arthus (King Arthur). His orchestral output was small, but significant. It includes the symphonic poem Viviane; the Symphony in B-flat, his sole symphony; Poème for violin and orchestra, an important piece in the violin repertoire; and the dramatic, and haunting, song-cycle Poème de l’amour et de la mer.

Chausson is believed to be the first composer to use the celesta. He employed that instrument in December 1888 in his incidental music, written for a small orchestra, for La tempête, a French translation by Maurice Bouchor of Shakespeare‘s The Tempest.^[5]

Not at all prolific, Chausson left behind only 39 opus-numbered pieces. Musical creation for him always proved to be a long, painful struggle. However, the quality and originality of his compositions are consistently high, and they continue to make occasional appearances on programs of leading singers, chamber music ensembles and orchestras.

“There are moments when I feel myself driven by a kind of feverish instinct, as if I had the presentiment of being unable to attain my goal, or of attaining it too late.” Ernest Chausson

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word: ignominious

ignominious 

Definition:	(adjective) Marked by shame or disgrace.
Synonyms:	inglorious, shameful, opprobrious, disgraceful, black
Usage:	It was an old fisherman who, with immense difficulty, at last rescued us, and we were towed back in an ignominious fashion to the boat-yard. Discuss.

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WORD: chagrin

chagrin 

Definition:	(noun) A keen feeling of mental unease, as of annoyance or embarrassment, caused by failure, disappointment, or a disconcerting event.
Synonyms:	mortification, humiliation
Usage:	Much to my chagrin, my rival won the election hands down. Discuss.

QUOTATION: Honore de Balzac

It is easier to be a lover than a husband for the simple reason that it is more difficult to be witty every day than to say pretty things from time to time.

Honore de Balzac (1799-1850) Discuss

ARTICLE: Martin Guerre

Martin Guerre

In the 16th century, a French peasant named Martin Guerre abruptly disappeared after being accused of stealing grain from his father. He moved to Spain and joined the army. He was wounded during a military campaign, and his leg had to be amputated. After spending some time in a monastery, Guerre returned to France, only to discover that an imposter had been living with his family. When faced with the real Martin Guerre, his relatives realized they had been had. What happened to the imposter? More… Discuss

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Latest Country Visit at euzicasa (198 total): VANUATU – 1 VISITOR FROM HERE!

VANUATU POPULATION: 261,565

1 VISITOR FROM HERE!

«  Previous Country | Next Country  »   Back to Flag Counter Overview

Background

Multiple waves of colonizers, each speaking a distinct language, migrated to the New Hebrides in the millennia preceding European exploration in the 18th century. This settlement pattern accounts for the complex linguistic diversity found on the archipelago to this day. The British and French, who settled the New Hebrides in the 19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which administered the islands until independence in 1980, when the new name of Vanuatu was adopted.

Geography People Government Economy Energy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues

Terms of Use

 

Geography
A Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes and there are several underwater volcanoes as well
Location:	Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Geographic coordinates:	16 00 S, 167 00 E
Area:	total: 12,189 sq km land: 12,189 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited Size comparison: slightly larger than Connecticut
Land Boundaries:	0 km
Coastline:	2,528 km
Maritime claims:	measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:	tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to October; moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by cyclones from December to April
Terrain:	mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
Elevation extremes:	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m
Natural resources:	manganese, hardwood forests, fish
Land use:	arable land: 1.64% permanent crops: 10.25% other: 88.11% (2011)
Irrigated land:	NA
Natural hazards:	tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanic eruption on Aoba (Ambae) island began on 27 November 2005, volcanism also causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis volcanism: significant volcanic activity with multiple eruptions in recent years; Yasur (elev. 361 m), one of the world’s most active volcanoes, has experienced continuous activity in recent centuries; other historically active volcanoes include, Aoba, Ambrym, Epi, Gaua, Kuwae, Lopevi, Suretamatai, and Traitor’s Head
Current Environment Issues:	most of the population does not have access to a reliable supply of potable water; deforestation
International Environment Agreements:	party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
^Back to Top
People
Nationality:	noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural) adjective: Ni-Vanuatu
Ethnic groups:	Ni-Vanuatu 98.5%, other 1.5% (1999 Census)
Languages:	local languages (more than 100) 72.6%, pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama – official) 23.1%, English (official) 1.9%, French (official) 1.4%, other 0.3%, unspecified 0.7% (1999 Census)
Religions:	Protestant 55.6% (Presbyterian 31.4%, Anglican 13.4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10.8%), Roman Catholic 13.1%, other Christian 13.8%, indigenous beliefs 5.6% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 9.6%, none 1%, unspecified 1.3% (1999 Census)
Population:	261,565 (July 2013 est.)
Age structure:	0-14 years: 37.9% (male 50,548/female 48,477) 15-24 years: 19.7% (male 25,685/female 25,900) 25-54 years: 34% (male 43,552/female 45,273) 55-64 years: 4.9% (male 6,493/female 6,289) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 4,817/female 4,531) (2013 est.)
Dependency ratios:	total dependency ratio: 69.5 % youth dependency ratio: 62.8 % elderly dependency ratio: 6.7 % potential support ratio: 15 (2013)
Median age:	total: 20.8 years male: 20.4 years female: 21.1 years (2013 est.)
Population growth rate:	2.06% (2013 est.)
Birth rate:	26.35 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
Death rate:	4.2 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
Net migration rate:	-1.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
Urbanization:	urban population: 26% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Sex ratio:	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
Maternal mortality rate:	110 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
Infant mortality rate:	total: 17.15 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.34 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:	total population: 72.38 years male: 70.83 years female: 74 years (2013 est.)
Total fertility rate:	3.47 children born/woman (2013 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate:	38.4% (2007)
Health expenditures:	5.3% of GDP (2010)
Physicians density:	0.12 physicians/1,000 population (2008)
Hospital bed density:	1.69 beds/1,000 population (2008)
Drinking water source:	improved: urban: 98% of population rural: 87% of population total: 90% of population unimproved: urban: 2% of population rural: 13% of population total: 10% of population (2010 est.)
Sanitation facility access:	improved: urban: 64% of population rural: 54% of population total: 57% of population unimproved: urban: 36% of population rural: 46% of population total: 43% of population (2010 est.)
Obesity – adult prevalence rate:	27.5% (2008)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight:	11.7% (2007)
Education expenditures:	5.2% of GDP (2009)
Literacy:	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.2% male: NA 84.9% female: NA 81.6% (2011 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):	total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 10 years (2004)
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Government
Country name:	conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu conventional short form: Vanuatu local long form: Ripablik blong Vanuatu local short form: Vanuatu former: New Hebrides
Government type:	parliamentary republic
Capital:	name: Port-Vila (on Efate) geographic coordinates: 17 44 S, 168 19 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:	6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba
Independence:	30 July 1980 (from France and the UK)
National holiday:	Independence Day, 30 July (1980)
Constitution:	30 July 1980
Legal system:	mixed legal system of English common law, French law, and customary law
Suffrage:	18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:	chief of state: President Iolu Johnson ABBIL (since 3 September 2009) head of government: Prime Minister Moana CARCASSES Kalosil (since 23 March 2013) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to parliament (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected for a five-year term by an electoral college consisting of parliament and the presidents of the regional councils; election for president last held on 2 September 2009 (next to be held in 2014); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually elected prime minister by parliament from among its members; election for prime minister last held on 23 March 2013 (next to be held following general elections in 2016) election results: Iolu Johnson ABBIL elected president, with 41 votes out of 58, on the third ballot on 2 September 2009; Moana CARCASSES Kalosil was elected prime minister following the resignation of Sato KILMAN on 21 March 2013
Legislative branch:	unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 30 October 2012 (next to be held in 2016) election results: percent of vote by party – NA; seats by party – VP 8, PPP 6, UMP 5, GJP 4, NUP 4, IG 3, GC 3, NAG 3, RMC 3, MPP 2, NIPDP 2, PSP 1, VLDP 1, VNP 1, VPDP 1, VRP 1, and independent 4; note – political party associations are fluid note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture and language
Judicial branch:	highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of a chief justice and 3 judges); note – appeals from the Supreme Court are considered by the Court of Appeal, constituted by 2 or more judges of the Supreme Court sitting together judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; other judges are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission, a 4-member advisory body; judges appointed until age of retirement subordinate courts: magistrates’ courts; island courts
Political parties and leaders:	Greens Confederation or GC [Moana CARCASSES Kalosil] Iauko Group or IG [NA] Land and Justice Party (Graon mo Jastis Pati) or GJP [Ralph REGENVANU] Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP [Barak SOPE] Nagriamel movement or NAG [NA] Natatok Indigenous People’s Democratic Party or (NATATOK) or NIPDP [Alfred Roland CARLOT] National United Party or NUP [Ham LINI] People’s Progressive Party or PPP [Sato KILMAN] People’s Service Party or PSP [Don KEN] Reunification of Movement for Change or RMC [Charlot SALWAI] Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR] Vanua’aku Pati (Our Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI] Vanuatu Democratic Party [Maxime Carlot KORMAN] Vanuatu Liberal Democratic Party or VLDP [Tapangararua WILLIE] Vanuatu National Party or VNP [Issac HAMARILIU] Vanuatu Progressive Development Party or VPDP [Robert Bohn SIKOL] Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP [Marcellino PIPITE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:	NA
International organization participation:	ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
National symbol(s):	boar’s tusk
National anthem:	name: “Yumi, Yumi, Yumi” (We, We, We) lyrics/music: Francois Vincent AYSSAV note: adopted 1980, the anthem is written in Bislama, a Creole language that mixes Pidgin English and French
Diplomatic representation in the US:	Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US; it does, however, have a Permanent Mission to the UN
Diplomatic representation from the US:	the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the US ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu
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Economy
This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on small-scale agriculture, which provides a living for about two-thirds of the population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with nearly 197,000 visitors in 2008, are other mainstays of the economy. Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the local market. Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Economic development is hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports, vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main markets and between constituent islands. In response to foreign concerns, the government has promised to tighten regulation of its offshore financial center. In mid-2002, the government stepped up efforts to boost tourism through improved air connections, resort development, and cruise ship facilities. Agriculture, especially livestock farming, is a second target for growth. Australia and New Zealand are the main suppliers of tourists and foreign aid.

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Joseph Boulogne, Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges – L’amant anonyme (1780) – Ballet no 1

Joseph Boulogne (1745 – 1799) was the son of a French aristocrat and an African slave woman. He is considered to be one of the first composers to write music in the western tradition with African ancestry. Here is part of a ballet he wrote in 1780. Performed by Tafelmusik Orchestra conducted by Jeanne Lamon.

 

THE CHÂTEAU

Though the French word château is translated into English as “castle,” there are certain nuances that differentiate it from its English counterpart. For example, stately residences both fortified and unfortified may be châteaus, but only if they are in the countryside. Thus, the Louvre was once a château but lost the designation once urban sprawl made it a part of Paris, whereas opulent—yet rural—Versailles Palace is considered a château. What term is used for equivalent urban structures? More… Discuss

 

Claude Debussy (1862-1918): “La plus que lente” ( part of Henry and June Playlist WOW….What enchanting music one and all!)

The composer Claude Debussy needs little introduction. As a pianist, he was noted for his avoidance of the crisp, dry and articulated style which typified French pianism of the nineteenth century. His style of playing was simple, highly tone-conscious and completely uncluttered by over-expressive angst.

The recording is a piano roll recording made by Debussy for Welte in 1913 (just three years after the work was composed). The piano rolls for Welte are amongst the most accurate we have, conveying the original performed dynamics, attack and pedalling rather faithfully, and when a good roll is played on a properly conditioned piano, the problems of dubious rhythmic bumpiness which infect many roll playbacks can vanish. This rendition seems as fine as we could hope for.

This work, “La plus que lente“, is a very slow waltz of sorts, composed in 1910.

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Marlene Dietrich “Je m’ennuie” 1933

Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992) enregistrée le 15 juillet 1933 à Paris.

The French lyrics are quite “benign” but don’t forget that it was the 1930s… If you never heard Dietrich sing, here’s your chance.

De ce que fut mon enfance, 
Je n’ai plus de souvenirs.
C’est peut-être que la chance
Ne m’offrit pas de plaisirs. 
Et chaque jour qui se lève
Ne m’apporte aucun espoir.
Je n’ai même pas de rêve
Quand luit l’etoile du soir.

Moi, je m’ennuie,
C’est dans ma vie
Une manie.
Je n’y peux rien..
Le plaisir passe,
Il me dépasse.
En moi sa trace
Ne laisse rien.
Partout je traîne,
Comme une chaîne,
Ma lourde peine,
Sans autre bien.
C’est dans ma vie
Une manie.
Moi, je m’ennuie…

Par de longs vagabondages,
J’ai voulu griser mon coeur,
Et souvent, sur mon passage,
J’ai vu naître des malheurs.
Sur chaque nouvelle route,
A l’amour j’ai dû mentir ;
Et le soir, lorsque j’écoute
La plainte du vent mourir…

Moi, je m’ennuie…
C’est dans ma vie
Une manie.
Je n’y peux rien..
Le plaisir passe,
Il me dépasse.
En moi sa trace
Ne laisse rien.
Partout je traîne,
Comme une chaîne,
Ma lourde peine,
Sans autre bien.
C’est dans ma vie
Une manie.
Moi, je m’ennuie…

visit: http://lannghiemphu.blogspot.com/2011/07/je-mennuie.html

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“L’ivrogne” Mr Jacques Brel – 1961

[youtube.com/watch?v=fJxmjw4Pv_Y&list=PL6C43E1FEAA05FED1]

Published on Mar 22, 2010

Jacques Brel
L’IVROGNE
1961

Ami remplis mon verre
Encore un et je vas
Encore un et je vais
Non je ne pleure pas
Je chante et je suis gai
Mais j’ai mal d’être moi
Ami remplis mon verre
Ami remplis mon verre

Buvons à ta santé
Toi qui sais si bien dire
Que tout peut s’arranger
Qu’elle va revenir
Tant pis si tu es menteur
Tavernier sans tendresse
Je serai saoul dans une heure
Je serai sans tristesse
Buvons à la santé
Des amis et des rires
Que je vais retrouver
Qui vont me revenir
Tant pis si ces seigneurs
Me laissent à terre
Je serai saoul dans une heure
Je serai sans colère

Ami remplis mon verre
Encore un et je vas
Encore un et je vais
Non je ne pleure pas
Je chante et je suis gai
Mais j’ai mal d’être moi
Ami remplis mon verre
Ami remplis mon verre

Buvons à ma santé
Que l’on boive avec moi
Que l’on vienne danser
Qu’on partage ma joie
Tant pis si les danseurs
Me laissent sous la lune
Je serai saoul dans une heure
Je serai sans rancune
Buvons aux jeunes filles
Qu’il me reste à aimer
Buvons déjà aux filles
Que je vais faire pleurer
Et tant pis pour les fleurs
Qu’elles me refuseront
Je serai saoul dans une heure
Je serai sans passion

Ami remplis mon verre
Encore un et je vas
Encore un et je vais
Non je ne pleure pas
Je chante et je suis gai
Mais j’ai mal d’être moi
Ami remplis mon verre
Ami remplis mon verre

Buvons à la putain
Qui m’a tordu le coeur
Buvons à plein chagrin
Buvons à pleines pleurs
Et tant pis pour les pleurs
Qui me pleuvent ce soir
Je serai saoul dans une heure
Je serai sans mémoire
Buvons nuit après nuit
Puisque je serai trop laid
Pour la moindre Sylvie
Pour le moindre regret
Buvons puisqu’il est l’heure
Buvons rien que pour boire
Je serai bien dans une heure
Je serai sans espoir

Ami remplis mon verre
Encore un et je vas
Encore un et je vais
Non je ne pleure pas
Je chante et je suis gai
Tout s’arrange déjà
Ami remplis mon verre
Ami remplis mon verre
Ami remplis mon verre.

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Balade Haute Provence – Juin 2013 – Pernes les Fontaines, Le Beaucet, Venasque

• Buy “Pastourelle A une ajornee…” on
  

  Google Play, iTunes, AmazonMP3, eMusic

• Artist
  Les musiciens de Provence, Maurice Guis, Les musiciens de Provence, Maurice Guis
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Today’s Birthday: GEORGES-MARIE GUYNEMER (1894)

Georges-Marie Guynemer (1894)

A top French fighter ace during World War I and a national hero, Guynemer shot down 53 enemy planes and survived being shot down several times before he presumably died in a firefight on September 11, 1917. During an engagement that fateful day, Guynemer’s plane disappeared, reportedly shot down by a German pilot who was himself killed in action weeks later. To ease the blow of the loss of their young hero, French schoolchildren were taught that what had happened to him? More…

 

Today’s Birthday: JEANNE MANCE (1606)

Jeanne Mance (1606)

Mance was a member of a French association that planned a utopian colony at Montreal. With the support of the French queen, Anne of Austria, she sailed with the first settlers in 1641. Mance, who had cared for victims of the Thirty Years War and the plague while in France, opened Montreal’s first hospital, the Hôtel-Dieu, in 1644. In 1650, she visited France and returned with a large donation meant to fund the hospital. Rather than use it for its intended purpose, Mance did what with the money? More… Discuss