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by Otto von Turne ( flourished c. 1275 )
Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Minnelied
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  ENG
  Ich unternahm's, den Falken gleich,
Die, kraft verweg'ner edler Art,
Aufschweben [zu der]1 Sonne.
Ich wagte [hohen]2 Flug zu Euch,
Ihr, schönes Bild, wie [kein's noch]3 ward[,]
Ihr, meiner Augen Wonne.
Euch laßt mich seh'n, und immer sehen!
Ja, schritt ein Kaiser stolz heran,
Er müßte knieend Liebe flehen.

  Wohl mir! -- Durch stetes Anschau'n ganz 
An Eure Glorie gewöhnt, 
Frohlock' ich im Gemüthe; 
Denn Euer himmlischreiner Glanz, 
Nach dem sich mein Gedanke sehnt, 
Verkündet Weibesgüte. 
Das ich seit allen meinen Tagen 
Kein Lieb so tadellos erfand,
Muß ich bei Pflicht und Eide sagen.

  O fänd' ich gnadenreichen Muth,
Ich riefe, süßer Hoffnung voll:
"Ihr seid mein Wunsch, mein Leben!
"Lohnt Minnedienst und Minnegluth!" --
Ach, wenn ich Gnade [suchen]4 soll,
Muß ich verstummen, beben.
Doch Eines habt Ihr längst erfahren:
In Geist' und Herzen pfleg' ich Euch,
Hold oder unhold, treu zu wahren.

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

•   J. Grimm 

J. Grimm sets stanzas 1, 3

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with O.L.B. Wolff (editor), Poetischer Hausschatz des deutschen Volkes, Siebente Auflage, Leipzig: Druck und Verlag von Otto Wigand, 1845, page 52.

1 Grimm: "hoch zur"
2 Grimm: "kühnen"
3 Grimm: "keines"
4 Grimm: "finden"

Text Authorship:

  • by Otto von Turne ( flourished c. 1275 ), "Minnelied" [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 Julius Otto Grimm (1827 - 1903), "Minnelied", op. 15 (Sechs Lieder) no. 6, published 1868, stanzas 1,3 [ low voice and piano ], Leipzig: J. Rieter-Biedermann [sung text checked 1 time]

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

  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Song of courtly love", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2009-08-25
Line count: 27
Word count: 147

Song of courtly love
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
  I undertook it, like the falcons who,
By virtue of their audacious, noble nature,
Soar upward to the sun.
I dared the [lofty]1 flight to you,
You, beautiful being, such as has never yet existed,
You, the delight of my eyes.
Let me see you, and see you always!
Yes, were an emperor to stride proudly hither,
He must, kneeling, plead for your love.

  Blessed am I! -- Through constant gazing 
Completely accustomed to your glory,
I rejoice in my spirit;
For your heavenly pure radiance,
For which my thoughts yearn,
Proclaims womanly kindness! 
That in all my days I have 
Found no love so flawless,
That I must declare by duty and vow.

  Oh would I find courage, by rich grace,
I would call out, full of sweet hope:
"You are my wish, my life!
"Reward the servitude and fervour of courtly love!"--
Ah, if I am to [seek]2 grace,
I must fall mute, must tremble.
But one thing you must have discovered long ago:
It is my custom, in spirit and heart to hold you,
Well or ill, faithfully enshrined.

View original text (without footnotes)
1 Grimm: "audacious"
2 Grimm: "find"

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2022 by Sharon Krebs, (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 Otto von Turne ( flourished c. 1275 ), "Minnelied"
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website: 2022-09-17
Line count: 27
Word count: 184

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