『Down By The Salley Gardensn』是根据获得诺贝尔奖的爱尔兰诗人叶慈的一首诗,谱曲而成。中文译名:《漫步神秘园》或《走进莎莉花园》。
『Down By The Salley Gardensn』原曲调来自爱尔兰西部的民谣,叶慈用自己的诗笔,为这民谣填上完整的词。叶慈的这首诗,后被另一位爱尔兰作曲家,重新编排谱写成曲,就是文中这首乐曲。
爱尔兰哨笛是很特别的一种乐器。有点类似中国的短笛羌笛。哨笛音域高亢响亮,带着一丝沙哑,每个音符尾音,常有颇具特色的滑音,意境阑珊悠远,常被用于演奏表达情感寂寥孤独的乐曲。
欣赏爱尔兰哨笛演奏的乐曲,常有:“羌笛何须怨杨柳”之感。羌笛没有欣赏过,相必和爱尔兰哨笛演奏出的音乐意境相似。
爱尔兰西部农民有砍下柳枝,搭建房屋的传统。流经原野村落的小河边,常有大片柳林。这种柳林就是 Salley Gardensn的由来。
爱尔兰青年男女,很喜欢去柳林中约会,叶慈的这首诗,表达青年男子,对心爱女子可望而不可即的相思之苦。有几份“蒹葭苍苍,白露为霜,所谓伊人,在水一方”的幽怨之意。
附:英文版原诗
Down by the salley gardens
My love and I did meet
She passed the salley gardens
With little snow-white feet
She bid me take love easy
As the leaves grow on the tree
But I being young and foolish
With her would not agree
In a field by the river
My love and I did stand
And on my leaning shoulder
She laid her snow-white hand
She bid me take life easy
As the grass grows on the weirs
But I was young and foolish
And now I'm full of tears