English translations of Vier Quartette für gemischten Stimme, opus 26

by Georg Vierling (1820 - 1901)

1. Mag da draussen Schnee sich thürmen  [sung text not yet checked]
by Georg Vierling (1820 - 1901), "Mag da draussen Schnee sich thürmen", op. 26 (Vier Quartette für gemischten Stimme) no. 1, published 1876 [ vocal quartet a cappella ], Leipzig, Leuckart
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Mag da draußen Schnee sich türmen,
Mag es hageln, mag es stürmen,
Klirrend [an mein Fenster]1 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"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
1.
Language: English 
Though the snow piles up outdoors,
Though it hails, though it storms,
[Though it] rattles against my window,
Never shall I complain!
For I carry in my breast
The image of my beloved and the rapture of spring!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2006 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.
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Translated titles:
In der Brust = In my breast Liebchens Bild = My beloved's image Mag da draussen Schnee sich thürmen = Though the snow piles up outdoors Mag da draußen Schnee sich türmen = Though the snow piles up outdoors Mag da drauszen =Though outdoors



This text was added to the website: 2006-12-05
Line count: 6
Word count: 38

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. Täuschung  [sung text not yet checked]
by Georg Vierling (1820 - 1901), "Täuschung", op. 26 (Vier Quartette für gemischten Stimme) no. 2, published 1876 [ vocal quartet a cappella ], Leipzig, Leuckart
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ich glaubte, die Schwalbe träumte schon
Vom theuren Nest;
Ich glaubte, die Lerche dachte schon
Ans Liederfest;
Ich glaubte, die Blüten küßte schon
Ein junger West;
Ich glaubte, ich hielte Dich liebend schon
Auf ewig fest!
 
Wie wurdet ihr winterlich über Nacht,
Ihr Lüfte lind!
Wie Knospen und Blüthen über Nacht
Erfroren sind!
Wie die Lerche verlernte über Nacht
Ihr Lied geschwind!
Und wie Du vergessen hast über Nacht
Dein armes Kind!

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Confirmed with Karl Beck, Stille Lieder, Leipzig: Verlag von Wilhelm Engelmann, 1840, page 23.

Note: according to Lawrence Snyder in German Poetry in Song, Fallen Leaf Press, 1995, Holstein attributes this text to Hugo Staacke. Unless "Hugo Staacke" is found to be a pseudonym of Karl Beck, this is a confirmed misattribution.


by Karl Isidor Beck (1817 - 1879) and sometimes misattributed to Christian Nikolaus Hugo Staacke
2.
Language: English 
I believed that the swallow already dreamt
Of the dear nest;
I believed that the lark already thought of
The festival of song;
I believed that blossoms were already being kissed
By a young westwind;
I believed that lovingly I already held you 
Tightly for ever!

How you became wintry overnight,
You gentle breezes!
How overnight blossoms and buds
Were destroyed by frost!
How overnight the lark quickly
Unlearned its song!
And how overnight you forgot
Your poor sweetheart!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2023 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.
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Translations of title(s):
"Die Entsagende" = "The renouncing woman"
"Ich glaubte, die Schwalben" = "I believed that the swallows"
"Ich glaubte, die Schwalbe träumte" = "I believed that the swallow dreamt"
"Ich glaubte, die Schwalbe träumte schon" = "I believed that the swallow already dreamt"
"Täuschung" = "Delusion"
"Über Nacht" = "Overnight"



This text was added to the website: 2023-04-14
Line count: 16
Word count: 79

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
3. An den Mond  [sung text not yet checked]
by Georg Vierling (1820 - 1901), "An den Mond", op. 26 (Vier Quartette für gemischten Stimme) no. 3, published 1876 [ vocal quartet a cappella ], Leipzig, Leuckart
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Füllest wieder Busch und Thal
Still mit Nebelglanz,
Lösest endlich auch einmal
Meine Seele ganz;

Breitest über mein Gefild
Lindernd deinen Blick,
Wie des Freundes Auge mild
Über mein Geschick.

Jeden Nachklang fühlt mein Herz
Froh- und trüber Zeit,
Wandle zwischen Freud' und Schmerz
In der Einsamkeit.

Fließe, fließe, lieber Fluß!
Nimmer werd' ich froh,
So verrauschte Scherz und Kuß,
Und die Treue so.

Ich besaß es doch einmal,
Was so köstlich ist!
Daß man doch zu seiner Qual
Nimmer es vergißt!

Rausche, Fluß, das Thal entlang,
Ohne Rast [und]1 Ruh,
Rausche, flüstre meinem Sang
Melodien zu,

Wenn du in der Winternacht
Wüthend überschwillst,
Oder um die Frühlingspracht
Junger Knospen quillst.

Selig, wer sich vor der Welt
Ohne Haß verschließt,
Einen Freund am Busen hält
Und mit dem genießt,

Was, von Menschen nicht gewußt
Oder nicht bedacht,
Durch das Labyrinth der Brust
Wandelt in der Nacht.

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Confirmed with Goethe's Werke, Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand, Erster Band, Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J.G.Cotta'schen Buchhandlung, 1827, pages 111-112; and with Goethe's Schriften, Achter Band, Leipzig, bey Georg Joachim Göschen, 1789, pages 153-154.

Note: The initial version of this poem, sent to Charlotte von Stein in March 1778, has not been published by Goethe (see below).

1 Schubert (D.296 only): "und ohne"

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
3. You fill bush and valley again
Language: English 
You fill bush and valley again
quietly with a splendid mist
and finally set loose
entirely my soul.

You spread over my domain
gently your gaze,
as mildly as a friend's eye
over my fate.

Every echo my heart feels,
of happy and troubled times;
I alternate between joy and pain
in my solitude.

Flow, flow on, dear river!
Never shall I be cheerful,
so faded away have jokes and kisses become -
and faithfulness as well.

I possessed once
something so precious,
that, to my torment,
it can never be forgotten now.

Murmur, river, beside the valley,
without rest and calm;
murmur on, whispering for my song
your melodies,

whenever you, on winter nights,
ragingly flood over,
or, in the splendor of spring,
help swell young buds.

Blissful is he who, away from the world,
locks himself without hate,
holding to his heart one friend
and enjoying with him

that which is unknown to most men
or never contemplated,
and which, through the labyrinth of the heart,
wanders in the night.

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: 36
Word count: 171

Translation © by Emily Ezust
4. Frühlingsgefühl  [sung text not yet checked]
by Georg Vierling (1820 - 1901), "Frühlingsgefühl", op. 26 (Vier Quartette für gemischten Stimme) no. 4, published 1876 [ vocal quartet a cappella ], Leipzig, Leuckart
Language: German (Deutsch) 
[Frühling]1 läßt sein blaues Band
Wieder flattern durch die Lüfte;
Süße, wohlbekannte Düfte
Streifen ahnungsvoll das Land.
Veilchen träumen schon,
Wollen balde kommen.
-- Horch, [von fern ein leiser]2 Harfenton!
Frühling, ja du bist's!
Dich hab' ich vernommen!

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Confirmed with Eduard Mörike, Gedichte, Dramatisches, Erzählendes, Zweite, erweiterte Auflage, Stuttgart: J.G. Cotta'sche Buchhandlung Nachf., 1961, page 42.

1 Eitner: "Der Frühling"; further changes may exist not shown above.
2 Louis Ferdinand: "von fern her leiser"; Schumann: "ein"

by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875)
4.
Language: English 
Spring lets its blue ribbon
flutter again in the breeze;
a sweet, familiar scent
sweeps with promise through the land.
Violets are already dreaming,
and will soon arrive.
Hark! In the distance - a soft harp tone!
Spring, yes it is you!
It is you that I have heard!

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.


Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 9
Word count: 48

Translation © by Emily Ezust