by William Smyth (1765 - 1849)
Translation Singable translation by Georg Pertz (1830 - 1870)
Sad and luckless was the season
Language: English
Sad and luckless was the season, When to court fair Ellen flew, Flew from Love, and Peace, and Reason, Worlds to see of promise new. Back she comes - each grace is finer, Ev'ry charm that crowds adore, All the form divine, diviner - But the heart is there no more. Oh! 'tis gone, the temper even, Careless nature, artless ease! All that makes retirement heaven - Pleasing, without toil to please, Hope no more, sweet lark, to cheer her, Vain to her these echoing skies - Bloom non more, ye violets, near her, Yours are charms she would not prize. Ellen! Go where crowds admire thee, Chariots rattle, torches blaze; Here our dull content would tire thee, Worthless be our village praise. Go! Yet oh, that Thought's soft season Ellen's heart might but restore! Hard the task - whate'er the reason - Hard the task to love no more.
Authorship:
- by William Smyth (1765 - 1849) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827), "Sad and luckless was the season", WoO. 153 (20 Irische Lieder mit Begleitung von Pianoforte, Violine und Violoncello) no. 6, G. 224 no. 6, published 1814/6 [ voice, piano, violin, violoncello ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Georg Pertz) , "Trüb und traurig schien die Sonne"
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
This text was added to the website: 2005-01-12
Line count: 24
Word count: 150
Trüb und traurig schien die Sonne
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the English
Trüb und traurig schien die Sonne, Als zum hof schön' Ellen flog, Als von Weisheit, Lieb' und Wonne Ein geträumtes Glück sie zog. Heimgekehrt scheint anmutreicher Sie in Lächeln, Wort und Scherz, Jeder Reiz noch göttergleicher, Doch verändert ist das Herz. Ach, dahin die holde Spröde, hin auf ewig, ohne Spur, Was zum Paradies die Öde Wandelt: Unschuld und Natur. Nicht entzückt der Frührotsänger Grüß sie mehr vom Wolkenreich; Veilchen, nicht umblüht sie länger, Euer Liebreiz gilt ihr gleich. Geh, wo Schmeichler Weihrauch streuen, Reichtum lockt und Kerzenglanz, Kann dein stolzes Herz erfreuen Dörflicher Bewundrung Kranz? Geh - o daß der Unschuld Schimmer In dein Herz blad wiederkehr'! Hart ist's - sei der grund, was immer -, Ellen nicht zu lieben mehr.
Authorship:
- Singable translation by Georg Pertz (1830 - 1870), "Trüb und traurig schien die Sonne" [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by William Smyth (1765 - 1849)
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
This text was added to the website: 2005-01-12
Line count: 24
Word count: 122