1928 Ninon Vallin sings L'heure Exquise, by Reynaldo Hahn (both pictured above).

Описание: 1928 Ninon Vallin singing L’heure Exquise by Reynaldo Hahn. Piano acc Pierre Darck.
Photo of Ninon Vallin and Reynaldo Hahn in 1928 Paris.

Imagine Hahn’s excitement to have found such a profoundly beautiful voice (and person!) to interpret his songs!
Here is a description of Vallin written by Albert Carré, director of the Opéra-Comique:

“The exceptional quality of this voice, its purity, its freshness, its timbre, its color, its flexibility, its emotional character as well as the assurance and the taste with which it was used could leave no doubt whatever. We were in the presence of a great artist.”

L’heure Exquise by Reynaldo Hahn: French with English translation:

L’Heure exquise  
Exquisite hour

La lune blanche
The white moon
Luit dans les bois;
Gleams in the woods;
De chaque branche
From every branch
Part une voix
There comes a voice
Sous la ramée...
Beneath the boughs…
Ô bien aimée.
Oh my beloved.
L'étang reflète,
The pool reflects,
Profond miroir,
Deep mirror,
La silhouette
The silhouette
Du saule noir
Of the black willow
Où le vent pleure...
Where the wind is weeping…
Rêvons, c'est l'heure.
Let us dream, it is the hour.
Un vaste et tendre
A vast and tender
Apaisement
Consolation
Semble descendre
Seems to fall
Du firmament
From the sky
Que l'astre irise...
The moon illumines…
C'est l'heure exquise.
Exquisite hour.

Original French text by Paul Verlaine
(1870). Translation by Richard Stokes


Exquisite hour

The white moon
Gleams in the woods;
From every branch
There comes a voice
Beneath the boughs...
O my beloved.
The pool reflects,
Deep mirror,
The silhouette
Of the black willow
Where the wind is weeping...
Let us dream, it is the hour.
A vast and tender
Consolation
Seems to fall
From the sky
The moon illumines...
Exquisite hour.

Trans: Richard Stokes


This 1921 Victrola IX was professionally restored and rebulit by Dyslexic Genius Brett Hurt (and his cats ) in the Spring of 2021 on its 100th birthday. Thanks Brett!