by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
Translation by Theodore Martin, Sir, KCB KCVO (1816 - 1909)
Begegnung
Language: German (Deutsch)
Wohl unter der Linde erklingt die Musik, Da tanzen die Burschen und Mädel, Da tanzen zwei, die niemand kennt, Sie schaun so schlank und edel. Sie schweben auf, sie schweben ab, In seltsam fremder Weise; Sie lachen sich an, sie schütteln das Haupt, Das Fräulein flüstert leise: «Mein schöner Junker, auf Eurem Hut Schwankt eine Neckenlilje, Die wächst nur tief in Meeresgrund - Ihr stammt nicht aus Adams Familie. Ihr seid der Wassermann, Ihr wollt Verlocken des Dorfes Schönen. Ich hab Euch erkannt, beim ersten Blick, An Euren fischgrätigen Zähnen.» Sie schweben auf, sie schweben ab, In seltsam fremder Weise, Sie lachen sich an, sie schütteln das Haupt, Der Junker flüstert leise: «Mein schönes Fräulein, sagt mir, warum So eiskalt Eure Hand ist? Sagt mir, warum so naß der Saum An Eurem weißen Gewand ist? Ich hab Euch erkannt, beim ersten Blick, An Eurem spöttischen Knickse - Du bist kein irdisches Menschenkind, Du bist mein Mühmchen, die Nixe.» Die Geigen verstummen, der Tanz ist aus, Es trennen sich höflich die beiden. Sie kennen sich leider viel zu gut, Suchen sich jetzt zu vermeiden.
Authorship:
- by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), "Begegnung", appears in Neue Gedichte, in Romanzen, no. 22 [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 Derek Healey (b. 1936), "Begegnung", op. 137 no. 5 (2014) [ mezzo-soprano and piano ], from Heinelieder, no. 5 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Otto Klemperer (1885 - 1973), "Begegnung", published 1901, from Lieder, no. 5 [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by Theodore Martin, Sir, KCB KCVO (1816 - 1909) , "A meeting", appears in Poems Selected from Heinrich Heine, ed. by Kate Freiligrath Kroeker, London: Walter Scott, Limited, pages 219-220, first published 1887 ; composed by Martin Edward Fallas Shaw.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-11-04
Line count: 32
Word count: 183
All under the lime‑trees the music...
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
All under the lime-trees the music sounds, And lads and lasses dance there, too; A couple are dancing whom no one knows, They are tall, and of noble air, too. To and fro in a weirdlike way, They glide and meander slowly; They smile to each other, they wave their heads, The lady whispers lowly: "My fine young fellow, in your cap A water-pink is twined, sir; It only grows at the roots of the sea,-- You come not of Adam's kind, sir. "You are a Merman; to beguile These village beauties you wish, eh? I knew you at the very first glance By your teeth so sharp and fishy." To and fro, in a weirdlike way, They glide and meander slowly; They smile to each other, they wave their heads, The young man whispers lowly: "My pretty maiden, tell me why As cold as ice your hand is? Ay, tell me why your white robe's hem As moist as the wet sea-sand is? "I knew you at the very first, By your curtsey all so tricksy; -- No mortal child of earth are you, You are my cousin, the Nixie." The fiddles are silent, the dance is done, They part with a courtly greeting; They know each other, alas ! too well, So shun any future meeting.
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by Theodore Martin, Sir, KCB KCVO (1816 - 1909), "A meeting", appears in Poems Selected from Heinrich Heine, ed. by Kate Freiligrath Kroeker, London: Walter Scott, Limited, pages 219-220, first published 1887 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), "Begegnung", appears in Neue Gedichte, in Romanzen, no. 22
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Martin Edward Fallas Shaw (1875 - 1958), "The meeting", published 1932 [baritone, piano, and string quartet], from Water Folk : a song sequence, no. 2. [text not verified]
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2012-12-15
Line count: 32
Word count: 217