English translations of Fünf Gesänge, opus 7

by Georg Eduard Goltermann (1824 - 1898)

1. Liebessehnen  [sung text not yet checked]
by Georg Eduard Goltermann (1824 - 1898), "Liebessehnen", op. 7 (Fünf Gesänge) no. 4 [ baritone and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Lehn deine Wang' an meine Wang',
Dann fliessen die Tränen zusammen;
Und an mein Herz drück fest dein Herz,
Dann schlagen zusammen die Flammen!

Und wenn in die große Flamme fliesst
Der Strom von [unsern]1 Tränen,
Und wenn [dich mein Arm]2 gewaltig umschließt -
Sterb' ich vor Liebessehnen!

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Confirmed with Heinrich Heine, Buch der Lieder, Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg, 1827, page 115.

1 Zenger: "unsren"
2 Jensen: "mein Arm dich"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
1. Lay your cheek against my cheek
Language: English 
Lay your cheek against my cheek,
 Then our tears will flow together;
 And against my heart press firmly your heart,
 Then their flames will leap together!

 And when, into the great flame, flows
 The stream of our tears,
 And when my arm embraces you powerfully -
 I shall die of love's yearning!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 51

Translation © by Emily Ezust
2. Du bist wie eine Blume  [sung text not yet checked]
by Georg Eduard Goltermann (1824 - 1898), "Du bist wie eine Blume", op. 7 (Fünf Gesänge) no. 5 [ baritone and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
  Du bist wie eine Blume
[So hold und schön und rein;]1
Ich [schau']2 dich an, und Wehmut
Schleicht mir ins Herz hinein.

  Mir ist, als [ob ich]3 die Hände
Aufs Haupt [dir]4 legen sollt',
[Betend]5, daß [Gott dich]6 erhalte
[So rein und schön und hold]7.

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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 136.

1 Ander: "So schön, so rein und hold"; Chadwick: "So schön, so hold, so rein"; Mayer: "So hold, so schön und rein"; Becker, Thuille: "So hold, so schön, so rein"; Unger: "So rein so schön und hold"
2 Becker: "seh'"
3 Hinrichs: "ob"
4 Hinrichs: "ich dir"
5 Dreyschock: "und beten"
6 Liszt: "dich Gott"
7 Ander: "So hold und schön und rein"; Chadwick, Thuille: "So schön, so hold, so rein"; Mayer: "So rein, so schön und hold"; Becker: "So rein, so schön, so hold"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
2. Thou art, as is a flower
Language: English 
Thou art, as is a flower,
so meek and pure and fine,
I look at thee and sadness
steals o'er the heart of mine.

I feel that both my hands softly
thy hair, thy head should seek,
praying that God may preserve thee
so pure and fine and meek.

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  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2009 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: 2009-08-10
Line count: 8
Word count: 49

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann