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by Friedrich Heinrich Karl, Freiherr de La Motte-Fouqué (1777 - 1843)
Translation © by Malcolm Wren

Don Gayseros, Don Gayseros
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE
"Don Gayseros, Don Gayseros,
Wunderlicher, schöner Ritter,
Hast mich aus der Burg beschworen,
Lieblicher, mit Deinen Bitten.

Don Gayseros, Dir im Bündniß,
Lockten Wald und Abendlichter.
Sieh mich hier nun, sag' nun weiter,
Wohin wandeln wir, Du Lieber?"

"Donna Clara, Donna Clara,
Du bist Herrin, ich der Diener,
Du bist Lenk'rin, ich Planet nur,
Süße Macht, o wollst gebieten!"

"Gut, so wandeln wir den Berghang
Dort am Kruzifixe nieder;
Wenden drauf an der Kapelle
Heimwärts uns, entlängst [die]1 Wiesen."

"Ach, warum an der Kapelle?
Ach, warum bei'm Kruzifixe?" -
"Sprich, was hast Du nun zu streiten?
Meint ich ja, Du wärst mein Diener."

"Ja, ich [schreite, ja ich wandle]2,
Herrin ganz nach Deinem Willen." -
Und sie wandelten zusammen,
Sprachen viel von süßer Minne.

"Don Gayseros, Don Gayseros,
Sieh, wir sind am Kruzifixe,
Hast Du nicht Dein Haupt gebogen
Vor dem Herrn, wie andre Christen?"

"Donna Clara, Donna Clara,
Konnt' ich auf was anders [blicken]3
Als auf Deine zarten Hände,
Wie sie mit den Blumen spielten?"

"Don Gayseros, Don Gayseros,
Konntest Du denn nichts erwiedern,
Als der fromme Mönch Dich grüßte,
Sprechend: Christus geb' Dir Frieden?"

"Donna Clara, Donna Clara,
Durft' ins Ohr ein Laut mir dringen,
Irgend noch ein Laut auf Erden,
[Da]4 Du flüsternd sprachst: Ich liebe?"

"Don Gayseros, Don Gayseros,
Sieh' [vor]5 der Kapelle blinket
Des geweihten Wassers Schaale!
Komm und thu' wie ich, Geliebter!"

"Donna Clara, Donna Clara,
Gänzlich [muß]6 ich jetzt erblinden,
Denn ich schaut' in Deine Augen,
[Kann]7 mich selbst nicht wieder finden."

"Don Gayseros, Don Gayseros,
Thu mir's nach, bist Du mein Diener,
Tauch' ins Wasser Deine Rechte,
Zeichn' ein Kreuz auf Deine Stirne."

Don Gayseros schwieg erschrocken,
Don Gayseros floh von hinnen;
Donna Clara lenkte bebend
Zu der Burg die scheuen Tritte.

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Der Zauberring, ein Ritterroman von Friedrich Baron de la Motte Fouqué. Erster Theil. Nürnberg, bei Johann Leonhard Schrag, 1812, pages 150-152.

1 Schubert: "den"
2 Schubert: "wandle, ja ich schreite"
3 Schubert: "schauen"
4 Schubert: "Als" 5 Schubert (Neue Gesamtausgabe): "an", Schubert (Alte Gesamtausgabe): "von"
6 Schubert: "mußt'"
7 Schubert: "konnt'"

Text Authorship:

  • by Friedrich Heinrich Karl, Freiherr de La Motte-Fouqué (1777 - 1843), no title, appears in Der Zauberring, Neunzehntes Kapitel, first published 1812 [author's text checked 1 time 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 Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Don Gayseros I", D 93 no. 1, published 1894 [sung text checked 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Don Gayseros I", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Don Gayseros I", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , "Don Gayseros I", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Don Gayseros I", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Richard Morris , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 56
Word count: 296

Don Gayseros I
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
"Don Gayseros, Don Gayseros,
Wonderful, handsome knight,
You have made me swear to leave the castle,
Dearest, with your entreaties.

Don Gayseros, in alliance with you
The forest and the lights of evening lured me.
See, I am here now. So tell me,
Where are we going, oh loved one?"

"Donna Clara, Donna Clara,
You are the mistress, I am the servant.
You are the driver, I am just a planet.
Sweet power, command as you will!"

"Good, so let us walk along the cliff edge
Then go down to the crucifix and
Turn there to the chapel
Back towards home through the meadows."

"Oh, why to the chapel?
Oh, why at the crucifix?"
"Tell me, what objection do you have?
I actually thought you were my servant."

"Yes, I shall walk, yes, I am setting off
Just as you wish, Mistress."
And they walked together and 
Spoke a great deal about sweet love.

"Don Gayseros, Don Gayseros,
Look, we are at the crucifix.
Have you not bent your head
Before the Lord, like other Christians?"

"Donna Clara, Donna Clara,
Could I look at anything else
Apart from your delicate hands
Playing with the flowers?"

"Don Gayseros, Don Gayseros,
Were you not able to reply
When the pious monk greeted you
Saying, 'Christ give you peace'?"

"Donna Clara, Donna Clara,
Could any sound penetrate my ear - 
Not a single other sound on earth -
Other than you whispering, 'I love you'?"

"Don Gayseros, Don Gayseros,
Look. In front of the chapel is the glint
Of the holy water basin!
Come and do as I do, beloved."

"Donna Clara, Donna Clara,
I have just been totally blinded
For I looked into your eyes
And I couldn't find myself again."

"Don Gayseros, Don Gayseros,
Do as I do, if you are my servant.
Dip your right hand in the water
And make the sign of the cross on your forehead."

Don Gayseros was stunned and remained silent.
Don Gayseros fled from there.
Donna Clara was shaken and directed
Her timid steps to the castle.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 by Malcolm Wren, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
    Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

  • a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Heinrich Karl, Freiherr de La Motte-Fouqué (1777 - 1843), no title, appears in Der Zauberring, Neunzehntes Kapitel, first published 1812
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website: 2016-09-11
Line count: 56
Word count: 341

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This website began in 1995 as a personal project by Emily Ezust, who has been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your help is greatly appreciated!
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