Belle rose du printemps

Famous song from Aosta valley  (Italy), sung in French. It is an ancient composition that is traced back to the Provençal troubadours, but which was transcribed and reworked in the current version by the composer Teo Usuelli for the soundtrack of the film of the conquest of K2, to remember the Aosta Valley guide Mario Puchoz who died during the ascent.

It reports the dialogue of a shepherdess with a young man in love with her, who would like to lead her to work in his service in a city palace. But she refuses, preferring the joy of staying in the mountains to pasture the sheep to a more comfortable life. Love for the beauty of nature and for life in simplicity that is placed before any other flattery.

"Belle rose du printemps" ... beautiful spring rose! It is a sort of refrain that is repeated at each beat, now addressed by the lover to the girl, now placed next to the words of the girl who thus seems to manifest her belonging to the world of the mountains.

The story is narrated in the original text even if the current re-elaborations refer only to the first verses

Canto valdostano tra i più conosciuti. È una composizione antica che viene fatta risalire ai trovatori provenzali, ma che è stata trascritta e rielaborata nella versione attuale dal compositore Teo Usuelli per la colonna sonora del film della conquista del K2,per ricordare la guida valdostana Mario Puchoz morto durante l’ascensione.

Essa riporta il dialogo di una pastorella con un giovane innamorato di lei, che vorrebbe condurla a lavorare al suo servizio in un palazzo di città. Ma lei rifiuta, preferendo a una prospettiva di vita più agiata la gioia di restare sui monti a pascolare le pecore. Amore per la bellezza della natura e per la vita in semplicità che viene anteposto a qualunque altra lusinga.

"Belle rose du printemps"...bella rosa di primavera! È una sorta di ritornello che si ripete ad ogni battuta, ora rivolto dall'innamorato alla fanciulla, ora posto accanto alle parole della ragazza che sembra manifestare cosi la propria appartenenza al mondo della montagna.

La vicenda è narrata nel testo originario anche se le attuali rielaborazioni fanno riferimento solo ai primi versi

Belle rose du printemps

"Que fais-tu là bas, ma jolie bergère? (2x)

Moi, je garde mes moutons blancs, belle rose du printemps!

Combien gagnes-tu pour ton salaire?

Moi, je gagne mes cinq cent francs, belle rose du printemps!

Veux-tu venir a mon service?

Moi, je t'en donnerai autant, belle rose du printemps!

Quitte ces bois et ton village

et laisse là tes moutons blancs, belle rose du printemps!

Viens avec moi, blonde bergère,

ne song plus aux fleurs des champs, belle rose du printemps!

Si tu savais combien je t'aime,

ils sourirarient tes yeux charmants, belle rose du printemps!

Elle me dit en un murmure:

Je reste avec mes agneaux blancs, belle rose du printemps!

Oh, j'aime mieux notre chaumière

que tous vos beaux palais luisants, belle rose du printemps!

Bergère, adieu! Sur la montagne

mon rêve est mort en un istant, belle rose du printemps!

Mais, dans mon ciel, petite étoile,

tu brilleras ancor longtemps, belle rose du printemps!"

Beautiful Rose of Spring

"What are you doing there, my pretty shepherdess?

I, guard my white sheeps, beautiful rose of spring !

How much do you earn with your salary?

I earn my five hundred francs, beautiful rose of spring!

Do you want to come to my service?

I'll give you the same, beautiful rose of spring!

Leave these woods and your village

and leave your white sheep there, beautiful  rose of spring!

Come with me, blonde shepherdess,

think no more of the flowers of the fields, beautiful rose of spring!

If you knew how much I love you,

smile your charming eyes, beautiful rose of spring!

She whispered to me:

Rest with my white lambs, beautiful rose of spring!

Oh, I like our little cottage  better

Than  all your beautiful shining palaces, beautiful rose of spring!

Shepherdess, goodbye! On the mountain

my dream died in an instant, beautiful rose of spring!

But, in my sky, little star,

you will shine for a long time, beautiful rose of spring! "