MERCI MON MAITRE

Home 9 Composers 9 Marie-Claire Saindon 9 MERCI MON MAITRE

The third movement, Merci mon Maître (text by Albert Belzile), sets the speaker (in this case, one can easily imagine the Virgin Mary) talking directly to God, and trying to explain with how many ways one could express thanks for this Master that loves us unconditionally. The first part of the movement follows the text in its imagery: “Je veux te dire merci en psaumes, en langues, en fleurs sauvages, en météores lointains, en méduses célestes …” (“I would like to tell Thee [thank you] in psalms, tongues, wild flowers, distant meteores, celestial tendrils …”). We then come to a halt when the Virgin Mary realizes that words are far too limited to express in detail how to thank the Lord. And so, she simply says thank you – for loving us with an eternal love. There, the music opens up gradually to imitate this eternity, and finishes off simply with a last “Thank you”.

LYRICS

Je voudrais te dire
En psaumes
En langues
En fleurs sauvages
En météores lointains
En méduses célestes
En arpèges éternelles
En gestes défiés
En sérénades sublimes
En romances ultimes
Je voudrais te dire les mots
Qui ressuscitent ma foi

Mais les mots sont trop vains
Et par trop limités
Pour exprimer combien
Tu as pu nous aimer

Et je te dis merci
C’est court, pas compliqué
De m’avoir tant aimée
Et de m’aimer encore
Sans mesure, sans report
D’un amour infini
Je veux te dire “merci”.

translation

Thank You my Lord

I would like to tell Thee
In psalms
In tongues
In wild flowers
In distant meteors
In celestial tendrils
In eternal arpeggios
In daring gestures
In sublime serenades
In supreme romances
I would like to tell Thee the words
That revitalise my faith

But words are too empty
And too limited
To express how much
Thou hast already loved us

And so, I just say thank you
It’s short and uncomplicated
For having loved me so
And for loving me still
Without measure, without hesitation
With an infinite love
I want to tell Thee: thank you.