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Three Ballads
Translations © by Laura Prichard
Song Cycle by Henk Bijvanck (1909 - 1969)
View original-language texts alone: Drei Balladen
König Kophetua hob seine goldene Krone Von den goldenen Locken und schwieg. Auf sein Schwert gestützt ging er und stieg Über die steilen Stufen, und ohne Sich umzusehn, ließ er die staunende Schar. Oben saß in mondlichtschimmernder Blässe Eine Bettlerin, in den Mantel der dichten Haare gehüllt. Ein großes Verzichten Lag in ihrer Augen blinkender Nässe. Und so träumte sie, jeglichen Schmuckes bar. König Kophetua legte die goldene Krone Über die eisengerüsteten Knie und harrte Auf einer der Stufen, bis ihn die traurige, zarte Magd erblicke, flehentlich, ohne Sich umzusehn, wo sein Gefolge war …
Text Authorship:
- by Richard von Schaukal (1874 - 1942), "Kophetua"
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Confirmed with Deutsche Lyrik seit Liliencron, herausgegeben von Hans Bethge, Leipzig: Hesse & Becker Verlag, 1921, pages 215-216.
King Kophetua lifted his golden crown From off his golden locks and fell silent. Resting his hand on his sword, he stepped out and ascended The steep steps, and without Looking back, he departed from the astonished crowd. Upstairs, bleached by pale moonlight sat A young female beggar, in a coat of thick Fur, enfolded. A heavy sense of resignation Welled up in her brimming eyes. And so she dreamed, bare of any ornament. King Kophetua rested the golden crown On his rusting iron-clad knees and paused on one of the steps, so he could catch a glimpse of the sad, tender Maiden, fleetingly, without Looking back towards his [waiting] his retinue …
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2023 by Laura Prichard, (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 Richard von Schaukal (1874 - 1942), "Kophetua"
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Translator's note: The king is wearing a suit of armor.
This text was added to the website: 2023-08-22
Line count: 15
Word count: 113
Baronin Colombine ist so zierlich und zart. Ich [zupfe]1 die Mandoline -- leider noch keinen Bart. Baronin Colombine, nimm Dich in Acht: Auf meiner Mandoline sind Funken erwacht. Baronin Colombine, lach' nicht so laut, [Meiner zitternden]2 Mandoline vor Deinem Lachen graut. Baronin Colombine, du nahmst mir meine Ruh'. Ins Wasser die Mandoline -- und mich dazu!
Text Authorship:
- by Richard von Schaukal (1874 - 1942), "Zueignung. An die Baronin Colombine", appears in Verse (1892-1896), in Pierrot. Ein Mysterium (Winter 1893)
See other settings of this text.
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Richard von Schaukal, Verse (1892-1896), Brünn: Druck und Verlag von Rudolf M. Rohrer, 1896, page 74.
Notes provided by Laura Prichard: Columbine [Italian Colombina] is an adroit servant girl character who originated about 1530 in Italian commedia dell’arte (but was rarely masked); her Italian name means “Little Dove.” In French theater, the character became a saucy lady’s maid who scorned the advances of Harlequin and Pierrot.
1 Graener: "zupf'"2 Graener: "Wie's meiner"
Baroness Colombine is so petite and feminine; I pluck my mandolin, but unfortunately I can’t grow a beard yet! Baroness Colombine, take care: From my mandolin sparks are beginning to fly. Baroness Colombine, don’t laugh so loud! My mandolin is so terrified of your laughter! Baroness Colombine, you tried to take away my peace. Into the water with the mandolin and the same with me!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2023 by Laura Prichard, (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 Richard von Schaukal (1874 - 1942), "Zueignung. An die Baronin Colombine", appears in Verse (1892-1896), in Pierrot. Ein Mysterium (Winter 1893)
Go to the general single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2023-08-20
Line count: 8
Word count: 65
Und ich sah dich nachts an der Laterne: bleich und traurig hingst du, Pierrot, trübe schimmerten die späten Sterne, als der Mond, dein alter Freund, entfloh. Da im Gassendunkel deine Züge schmerzlich schienen und gedankenbang, sann ich über deines Lebens Lüge, armer Narr am selbstgeknüpften Strang. Ach ich hab’ dich nicht herabgeschnitten, rührte leise nur an deiner Hand… Husch ! ein Schatten war hinweggeglitten, der verstohlen mir im Rücken stand.
Text Authorship:
- by Richard von Schaukal (1874 - 1942), "Pierrot pendu"
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Confirmed with Richard Schaukal, Bilder der ausgewählten Gedichte, Munich: Georg Müller, 1909, page 29.
Notes provided by Laura Prichard
Stanza 1, line 1: the puppet is found hanging from a lantern.
Stanza 1, line 2: Pierrot is a Commedia dell’arte character, a puppet also called Punch (English) and Petrushka (Russian).
So I saw you last night under the lantern: pale and sad, you hung, Pierrot; dimly shimmered the midnight stars, while your old friend, the moon, fled. There in the dark alley, your gestures seemed painful and frightened; I pondered your life’s failings, poor fool [hanging] on a self-tied noose. Ah, I didn’t cut you down, but only gently touched your hand. Whoosh! a shadow floated off, slinking away behind me.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2023 by Laura Prichard, (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 Richard von Schaukal (1874 - 1942), "Pierrot pendu"
Go to the general single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2023-08-19
Line count: 12
Word count: 71