Album of Eight Songs [later reissued as Eight Songs from Poems by Heine]

Song Cycle by Frances Allitsen (1848 - 1912)

1. Der Fichtenbaum
 (Sung text)

Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ein Fichtenbaum steht einsam
Im Norden auf kahler Höh';
Ihn schläfert; mit weißer Decke
Umhüllen ihn Eis und Schnee.

Er träumt von einer Palme,
Die fern im Morgenland,
Einsam und schweigend trauert
Auf brennender Felsenwand.

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Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Pierre Mathé [Guest Editor]

1. A pinetree standeth lonely
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
A pine-tree standeth lonely
In the North on an upland bare;
It standeth whitely shrouded
With snow, and sleepeth there.
 
It dreameth of a Palmtree
Which far in the East alone,
In mournful silence standeth
On its ridge of burning stone.

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Research team for this page: T. P. (Peter) Perrin , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

2. Saphire sind die Augen dein
 (Sung text)

Language: German (Deutsch) 
Saphire sind die Augen dein,
Die lieblichen, die süßen.
O, dreimal glücklich ist der Mann,
Den sie mit Liebe grüßen.

 ... 

Rubinen sind die Lippen dein,
Man kann nicht schönre sehen.
O, dreimal glücklich ist der Mann,
Dem Liebe sie gestehen.

O, kennt ich nur den glücklichen Mann,
O, daß ich ihn nur fände,
So recht allein im grünen Wald --
Sein Glück hätt' bald ein Ende.

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Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

2. Two sapphires those dear eyes of thine
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Two sapphires those dear eyes of thine,
Soft as the skies above thee;
Thrice happy is the man to whom
Those dear eyes say: "I love thee."

 ... 

Two rubies are those lips of thine,
Unrivall'd in fresh glory;
Thrice happy is the man to whom
They whisper their love story.

Could I but meet that lucky man,
But meet that happy lover --
Meet him alone in some dark wood, --
His joy would soon be over. . .

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Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

3. Du hast Diamanten und Perlen
 (Sung text)

Language: German (Deutsch) 
Du hast Diamanten und Perlen,
Hast alles, was Menschenbegehr,
Und hast die schönsten Augen -
Mein Liebchen, was willst du mehr?

Auf deine schönen Augen
Hab ich ein ganzes Heer
Von ewigen Liedern gedichtet -
Mein Liebchen, was willst du mehr?

Mit deinen schönen Augen
Hast du mich gequält so sehr,
Und hast mich zu Grunde gerichtet -
Mein Liebchen, was willst du mehr?

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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

3. Diamonds hast thou and pearls
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Diamonds hast thou and pearls,
And all by which men set store,
And of eyes hast thou the finest --
Darling, what wouldst thou more?
 
Upon those eyes so lovely
Have I a whole army-corps
Of undying songs constructed --
Darling, what wouldst thou more?
 
And with those eyes so lovely,
Hast thou tortured me very sore,
And hast ruin'd me altogether --
Darling, what wouldst thou more?

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Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

4. Die Botschaft
 (Sung text)

Language: German (Deutsch) 
Mein Knecht! steh auf und sattle schnell,
Und wirf dich auf dein Roß,
Und jage rasch durch Wald und Feld
Nach König Duncans Schloß.

Dort schleiche in den Stall, und wart,
Bis dich der Stallbub schaut.
Den forsch mir aus: "Sprich, welche ist
Von Duncans Töchtern Braut?"

Und spricht der Bub: "Die Braune ist's",
So bring mir schnell die Mär.
Doch spricht der Bub: "Die Blonde ist's",
So eilt das nicht so sehr.

Dann geh zum Meister Seiler hin,
Und kauf mir einen Strick,
Und reite langsam, sprich kein Wort,
Und bring mir den zurück.

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

  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "The message", copyright ©
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Le message", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

4. King Duncan's daughters
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Up, boy! arise, and saddle quick,
And mount your swiftest steed,
And to King Duncan's castle ride
O'er bush and brake with speed.
 
There slip into the stable soft,
Till one shall see you hide,
Then ask him: Which of Duncan's girls
Is she that is the bride?
 
And if he say, The dark-hair'd one,
Then give your mare the spur;
But if he say, The fair-hair'd one,
You need not hurry her.
 
You only need, if that be so,
Buy me a hempen cord,
Ride slowly back and give it me,
But never speak one word.

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Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

5. Seit die Liebste war entfernt
 (Sung text)

Language: German (Deutsch) 
Seit die Liebste war entfernt,
Hätt' ich's Lachen ganz verlernt.
Schlechten Witz riß mancher Wicht,
Aber lachen konnt' ich nicht.

Seit ich sie verloren hab,
Schafft' ich auch das Weinen ab;
Fast vor Weh das Herz mir bricht,
Aber weinen kann ich nicht.

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

  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Since my beloved went away", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Charles Beltjens) , no title, appears in Intermezzo lyrique, no. 35, first published 1827
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Pierre Mathé [Guest Editor]

5. Since my love now loves me not
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Since my love now loves me not,
How to laugh I have forgot;
Jests no more my grief beguile,
For I cannot, cannot smile.
 
Since my love now loves me not,
How to weep I have forgot;
Broken is my heart with woe,
But my tears refuse to flow.

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6. Mag da draußen Schnee sich türmen
 (Sung text)

Language: German (Deutsch) 
Mag da draußen Schnee sich türmen,
Mag es hageln, mag es stürmen,
Klirrend an mein Fenster schlagen,
Nimmer will ich mich beklagen!
Denn ich trage in der Brust
Liebchens Bild und Frühlingslust.

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1 Raff: "mir ans Fenster"
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Andrew Schneider [Guest Editor]

6. Fathoms deep may drift the snow
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Fathoms deep may drift the snow,
It may hail, and it may blow,
Till my windows groan and shake,
Moan for that I ne'er will make,
But while in my breast I bear
My love's image, spring is here.

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Confirmed with Poems and Ballads by Heinrich Heine done into English verse by Theodore Martin, C.B., Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood and Sons, MDCCCLXXVII (1877), page 167.

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

7. Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht
 (Sung text)

Language: German (Deutsch) 
Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht,
Das Leben ist der schwüle Tag.
Es dunkelt schon, mich schläfert,
Der Tag hat mich müd gemacht.

Über mein Bett erhebt sich ein Baum,
Drin singt die junge Nachtigall;
Sie singt von lauter Liebe -
Ich hör es sogar im Traum.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Death is the cool night", copyright © 2019
  • ENG English (Emma Lazarus) , appears in Poems and Ballads of Heinrich Heine, first published 1881
  • ENG English [singable] (Daniel Platt) , "O Death, that is the cooling night", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FIN Finnish (Suomi) (Milla Valkeasuo) , "Kuolema on kylmä yö", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • GRE Greek (Ελληνικά) (Ελενη Θεοδωριδου) , "Ο θάνατος είναι η κρύα νύχτα", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • HEB Hebrew (עברית) (Max Mader) , "המוות דומה ללילה הקריר", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "La morte è una notte fresca", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • LIT Lithuanian (Lietuvių kalba) (Giedrius Prunskus) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • SPA Spanish (Español) (Sergio Sarano) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • SPA Spanish (Español) (Elisa Rapado) , "La muerte es la fría noche", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

7. Oh Death, it is the cold, cold night
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Oh, death it is the cold, cold night,
And life it is the sultry day;
It is growing dusk, I am drowsy--
The long, long day has tired me quite.
 
Over my bed there arches a tree;
There sings the early nightingale--
She sings of love the whole night long;
Her song comes even in my dreams  ... .

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Confirmed with Poems and Ballads by Heinrich Heine done into English verse by Theodore Martin, C.B., Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood and Sons, MDCCCLXXVII (1877), page 181.

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

8. Katharine
 (Sung text)

Language: German (Deutsch) 
  Ein schöner Stern geht auf in meiner Nacht,
Ein Stern, der süßen Trost herniederlacht
Und neues Leben mir verspricht --
O, lüge nicht!

  Gleichwie das Meer dem Mond entgegenschwillt,
So flutet meine Seele, froh und wild,
Empor zu deinem holden Licht --
O, lüge nicht!

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

  • ENG English (Edgar Alfred Bowring) , appears in The Poems of Heine Complete, first published 1861
  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Confirmed with: Heinrich Heine’s sämtliche Werke in vier Bänden, herausgegeben von Otto F. Lachmann, Erster Band, Leipzig: Druck und Verlag von Philipp Reclam jun, [1887], page 288.

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

8. Katherine
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
A star dawns beauteous in my gloomy night,
A star that sheds sweet comfort for it's sic light,
Promising me new life and joy,--
Oh, Love, be true!
 
Like as the ocean to the moon swells free,
So mounts my soul, daring and glad to thee,--
To thee, and to thy light of joy,--
Oh, Love, be true!

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Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
Total word count: 909