”Une voix dans le désert" ("A Voice in the Desert") is a recitation, with a soprano soloist and orchestra, written by the English composer Edward Elgar

Edward Elgar

Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet OM, GCVO was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos...

 in 1915 as his Op. 77. The words are by the Belgian poet Émile Cammaerts

Émile Cammaerts

Émile Leon Cammaerts was a Belgian poet.He became Professor of Belgian Studies at the University of London in 1933, and his papers are held there in Senate House Library....

.

It was first produced, in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 at the Shaftesbury Theatre

Shaftesbury Theatre

The Shaftesbury Theatre is a West End Theatre, located on Shaftesbury Avenue, in the London Borough of Camden.-History:The theatre was designed for the brothers Walter and Frederick Melville by Bertie Crewe and opened on 26 December 1911 with a production of The Three Musketeers, as the New...

, on 29 January 1916, with the recitation by the Belgian dramatic performer Carlo Liten, the soprano Olga Lynn, and an orchestra conducted by the composer.

The words were translated into English by Cammaerts' wife, Tita Brand.

The work was published as a piano reduction (the vocal parts with piano accompaniment) by Elkin & Co. in 1916.

Synopsis

The reality was horrific. In August 1915 Belgium had been invaded by the German army: the big cities has been destroyed, the carnage on both sides was incalculable and King Albert

Albert I of Belgium

Albert I reigned as King of the Belgians from 1909 until 1934.-Early life:Born Albert Léopold Clément Marie Meinrad in Brussels, he was the fifth child and second son of Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders, and his wife, Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen...

 and his army were driven to the banks of the river Yser

Yser

The Yser is a river that finds its origin in the north of France, enters Belgium and flows into the North Sea at the town of Nieuwpoort.-In France:The source of the Yser is in Buysscheure, in the Nord département of northern France...

 in West Flanders.

The Pall Mall Gazette in review of Une voix dans le désert described the scene on stage:

Lyrics

English translation A Voice in the Desert A hundred yards from the trenches, Close to the battle-front, There stands a little house, Lonely and desolate. Not a man, not a bird, not a dog, not a cat, Only a flight of crows along the railway line, The sound of our boots on the muddy road And, along the Yser Yser The Yser is a river that finds its origin in the north of France, enters Belgium and flows into the North Sea at the town of Nieuwpoort.-In France:The source of the Yser is in Buysscheure, in the Nord département of northern France... , the twinkling fires. A low thatched cottage With doors and shutters closed, The roof torn by a shell, Standing out of the floods alone ... Not a cry, not a sound, not a life, not a mouse, Only the stillness of the great graveyards, Only the crosses - the crooked wooden crosses - On the wide lonely plain. A cottage showing grey Against a cold black sky, Blind and deaf in the breeze Of the dying day, And the sound of our footsteps slipping On the stones as we go by ... Suddenly, on the silent air, Warm and clear, pure and sweet, As sunshine on the golden moss, Strong and tender, loud and clear, As a prayer, Through the roof a girl's voice rang, And the cottage sang! Soprano solo When the spring comes round again Quand nos bourgeons se rouvriront ”Quand nos bourgeons se rouvriront” is a song for solo soprano, part of a staged recitation with orchestra Une voix dans le désert written by the English composer Edward Elgar in 1915... , Willows red and tassels grey When the spring comes round again, Our cows will greet the day, They'll sound their horn triumphant, White sap and greening spear Sound it so loud and long, Until the dead once more shall hear. We shall hear our anvils, Strong arm and naked breast And in our peaceful meadows, The scythe will never rest. Ev'ry church will ope its door, Antwerp, Ypres Ypres Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote...  and Nieuport Nieuwpoort, Belgium Nieuwpoort is a municipality located in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Nieuwpoort proper and the towns of Ramskapelle and Sint-Joris. On January 1, 2008 Nieuwpoort had a total population of 11,062.... , The bells will then be ringing, The foe's death knell be ringing. The shall sound spade and shovel, Dixmude and Ramscapelle Ramskapelle Ramskapelle is a village in Knokke-Heist, a town in Belgium.Ramskapelle is also a village in Nieuwpoort, a town in Belgium.See also: West Flanders-External links:*... And gaily gleam the trowel, While through the air the pick is swinging. From the ports our boats will glide. Anchor up and mooring slipt The lark on high will be soaring Above our rivers wide. And then our graves will flower, Heart'sease and golden rod And then our graves will flower Beneath the peace of God. Not a breath, not a sound, not a soul, Only the crosses, the crooked wooden crosses ... "Come, it is getting late 'Tis but a peasant girl With her father living there . . . . They will not go away, nothing will make them yield, They will die, they say, Sooner than leave their field." Not a breath, not a life, not a soul, Only a flight of crows along the railway line, The sound of our boots on the muddy road ... And along the Yser the twinkling of the fires.

Français Une voix dans le désert C'était sur le front, A cent pas des tranchées, Une petite maison Morne et désolée. Pas un homme, pas une poule, pas un chien, pas un chat, Rien qu'un vol de corbeaux le long du chemin de fer, Le bruit de nos bottes sur le pavé gras, Et la ligne des feux clignotant sur l'Yser Yser The Yser is a river that finds its origin in the north of France, enters Belgium and flows into the North Sea at the town of Nieuwpoort.-In France:The source of the Yser is in Buysscheure, in the Nord département of northern France... . Une chaumine restée là, Porte fermée et volets clos, Un trou d'obus dans le toit, Plantée dans l'eau comme ... un flot. Pas un cri, pas un bruit, pas une vie, pas un chat, Rien que le silence des grands cimetières Et le signe monotone des croix, des croix de bois, Par la plaine solitaire. Une chaumine toute grise Sur le ciel noir, Aveugle et sourde dans la brise Du soir, Et le bruit amorti de nos pas Glissant sur le pavé gras ... Puis, tout à coup, Chaude, grave et douce, Comme le soleil sur la mousse, Tendre et fière, forte et claire, Comme une prière, Une voix de femme sortit du toit Et la maison chanta! Soprano solo Quand nos bourgeons se rouvriront Quand nos bourgeons se rouvriront ”Quand nos bourgeons se rouvriront” is a song for solo soprano, part of a staged recitation with orchestra Une voix dans le désert written by the English composer Edward Elgar in 1915... , Saules rouges et gris chatons Quand nos bourgeons se rouvriront, Nos vaches meugleront. Elles sonneront du cor Coqs rouges et fumiers d'or Elles sonneront si fort, Qu'elles réveilleront les morts. Frapperont nos marteaux, Bras nus et torses chauds Et ronfleront nos scies, Autour de nos prairies. S'ouvriront nos églises, Nieuport Nieuwpoort, Belgium Nieuwpoort is a municipality located in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Nieuwpoort proper and the towns of Ramskapelle and Sint-Joris. On January 1, 2008 Nieuwpoort had a total population of 11,062.... , Ypres Ypres Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote...  et Pervyse Pervijze Pervijze is a small rural village in the Belgian province of West-Flanders, and a part of the municipality of Diksmuide. Pervijze has an area of 12.23 km² and almost 900 inhabitants... , Et tonneront nos cloches Le dur tocsin des Boches. Tinteront nos truelles Dixmude et Ramscapelle Ramskapelle Ramskapelle is a village in Knokke-Heist, a town in Belgium.Ramskapelle is also a village in Nieuwpoort, a town in Belgium.See also: West Flanders-External links:*... Et reluiront nos pelles Et cogneront nos pioches. Glisseront nos bateaux, Goudron noir et mouette Chantera l'alouette Le long de nos canaux, Et fleuriront nos tombes Mésanges et pigeons bleus Et fleuriront nos tombes, Sous le soleil de Dieu. Plus un souffle, plus un bruit, plus un chat, Rien que la signe des croix de bois ... "Venez donc, il est tard, ne nous arrêtons pas, Ce n'est qu'une paysanne restée là Avec son vieux . . . . . . . . père. Rien ne peut les convaincre, ils ne veulent pas partir, Ils disent qu'ils aiment mieux mourir Que de quitter leur terre." Plus un souffle, plus une vie, plus un chat, Rien qu'un vol de corbeaux le long du chemin de fer, Le bruit de nos bottes sur le pavé gras, ... Et la ligne des feux clignotant sur l'Yser.

Recordings

• Rarely Heard Elgar & Forgotten War Music Munich Symphony Orchestra with Douglas Bostock, on ClassicO label.
• Elgar: War Music Richard Pascoe (narrator), Teresa Cahill (soprano), Barry Collett (conductor), Rutland Sinfonia
• The CD with the book Oh, My Horses! Elgar and the Great War has many historical recordings including Une voix dans le désert with Quand nos bourgeons se rouvriront
  Quand nos bourgeons se rouvriront
  ”Quand nos bourgeons se rouvriront” is a song for solo soprano, part of a staged recitation with orchestra Une voix dans le désert written by the English composer Edward Elgar in 1915...
  
  , a 1985 recording with Alvar Lidell
  Alvar Lidell
  Tord Alvar Quan Lidell was a BBC radio announcer and newsreader.Lidell was born in Wimbledon Park, Surrey, to Swedish parents. His father John Adrian Lidell was a timber importer; his mother was Gertrud Lidell . Lidell attended King's College School, Wimbledon and Exeter College, Oxford...
  
  (narrator), Valerie Hill (soprano) and the Kensington Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leslie Head