Four songs on poems of Georg Trakl

Translations © by Bertram Kottmann

Song Cycle by Rudi Spring (b. 1962)

View original-language texts alone: Vier Lieder nach Gedichten von Georg Trakl

1. Zigeuner
 (Sung text)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Die Sehnsucht glüht in ihrem nächtigen Blick 
Nach jener Heimat, die sie niemals finden. 
So treibt sie ein unseliges Geschick, 
Das nur Melancholie mag ganz ergründen.

Die Wolken wandeln ihren Wegen vor, 
Ein Vogelzug mag manchmal sie geleiten, 
Bis er am Abend ihre Spur verlor, 
Und manchmal trägt der Wind ein Aveläuten

In ihres Lagers Sterneneinsamkeit, 
Daß sehnsuchtsvoller ihre Lieder schwellen 
Und schluchzen von ererbtem Fluch und Leid, 
Das keiner Hoffnung Sterne sanft erhellen.

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by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914)
1. Gypsies
Language: English 
A yearning glows in their night-shrouded glance
towards that homeland they will never find. 
So they are driven by a cruel fate, 
that only gloom may fully fathom out.

The clouds show them their ways, 
migrating birds may sometimes guide them, 
until they lose their track at night;
sometimes the wind carries the sound of a Hail Mary bell

to their camp in stellar solitude,
so that their songs will swell with greater yearning 
and sob from an inbred curse and hardship, 
that no stars of hope will ever softly light.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2018 by Bertram Kottmann, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.

    Bertram Kottmann.  Contact: BKottmann (AT) t-online.de

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This text was added to the website: 2018-11-28
Line count: 12
Word count: 91

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann
2. Es geht ein alter Weg entlang
 (Sung text)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Es geht ein alter Weg entlang
An wilden Gärten und einsamen Mauern.
Tausendjährige Eiben schauern
Im steigenden fallenden Windgesang.
 
Die Falter tanzen, als stürben sie bald,
Mein Blick trinkt weinend die Schatten und Lichter.
Ferne schweben Frauengesichter
Geisterhaft ins Blau gemalt.
 
Ein Lächeln zittert im Sonnenschein,
Indes ich langsam weiterschreite;
Unendliche Liebe gibt das Geleite.
Leise ergrünt das harte Gestein.

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by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914)
2. Along walls
Language: English 
An old path goes along
wild gardens, lonesome walls.
Thousand-year-old yew trees shudder
In the wind’s rising, falling chant.

The butterflies dance as if they soon would die,
My weeping glance drinks shadows and lights.
In the distance women's faces hover
ghostly painted in the blue.

A smile trembles in the sunshine,
meanwhile I slowly stride on
escorted by unending love.
Quietly the hard rocks green.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2018 by Bertram Kottmann, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.

    Bertram Kottmann.  Contact: BKottmann (AT) t-online.de

    If you wish to commission a new translation, please contact:

Based on:

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This text was added to the website: 2018-11-28
Line count: 12
Word count: 66

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann
3. Beim jungen Wein
 (Sung text)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Sonne purpurn untergeht,
Schwalbe ist schon fern gezogen.
Unter abendlichen Bogen
Junger Wein die Runde geht;
Kind dein wildes Lachen.
 
Schmerz, darin die Welt vergeht.
Bleib der Augenblick gewogen,
Da im Abend hölzner Bogen
Junger Wein die Runde geht;
Kind dein wildes Lachen.
 
Flackerstern ans Fenster weht,
Kommt die schwarze Nacht gezogen,
Wenn im Schatten dunkler Bogen
Junger Wein die Runde geht;
Kind dein wildes Lachen.

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by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914)
3. With the young wine
Language: English 
Sun is setting purple-red,
swallow has flown far away.
Under arches in the evening
new wine round the table goes;
Child your untamed laughter.

Pain in which the world decays.
Moment, well-disposed to us
when tonight under wooden arches
new wine round the table goes;
Child your untamed laughter.

Flickering star blows ’gainst the panes,
deep black night is closing in,
when in shadows of dark arches
new wine round the table goes;
Child your untamed laughter.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2018 by Bertram Kottmann, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.

    Bertram Kottmann.  Contact: BKottmann (AT) t-online.de

    If you wish to commission a new translation, please contact:

Based on:

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This text was added to the website: 2018-11-28
Line count: 15
Word count: 77

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann
4. Ein Winterabend 
 (Sung text)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wenn der Schnee ans Fenster fällt,
Lang die Abendglocke läutet,
Vielen ist der Tisch bereitet
Und das Haus ist wohl bestellt.

Mancher auf der Wanderschaft
Kommt ans Tor auf dunklen Pfaden.
Golden blüht der Baum der Gnaden
Aus der Erde kühlem Saft.

Wanderer tritt still herein;
Schmerz versteinerte die Schwelle.
Da erglänzt in reiner Helle
Auf dem Tische Brot und Wein.

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by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914)
4. A winter evening
Language: English 
When the snow falls ’gainst the panes, 
long the evening bell is ringing, 
many find a well-laid table 
and their matters well arranged. 

Many a man who roams about
finds the gate on murky pathways. 
Golden blooms the tree of mercy
from the cool sap of the earth. 

Wanderer, step in, be still; 
Pain has petrified the threshold. 
There are - chaste in radiance gleaming -
on the table bread and wine.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 by Bertram Kottmann, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.

    Bertram Kottmann.  Contact: BKottmann (AT) t-online.de

    If you wish to commission a new translation, please contact:

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2016-06-07
Line count: 12
Word count: 71

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann