English translations of Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung, opus 1

by Carl Graff

1. Abendlied  [sung text not yet checked]
by Carl Graff , "Abendlied", op. 1 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 1, published 1879 [ voice and piano ], Kassel, Voigt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wenn ich auf dem Lager liege
In Nacht [und Kissen]1 gehüllt,
So schwebt mir vor ein süßes,
Anmutig liebes Bild!

Wenn mir der stille Schlummer
Geschlossen die Augen kaum,
So schleicht [das Bild sich leise]2
Hinein in meinen Traum

[Doch]3 mit dem Traum des Morgens
Zerrinnt es nimmermehr;
Dann trag' ich es im Herzen
Den ganzen Tag umher.

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

View original text (without footnotes)
Confirmed with Heinrich Heine's Sämmtliche Werke, Erster Band: Reisebilder, Dritte Auflage, Philadelphia: Verlag von John Weik, 1856, pages 29-30.

1 omitted by Mendelssohn
2 Lang: "das liebe Bild"
3 Lang: "Und"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
1. When I lie on the bed
Language: English 
When I lie on the bed, 
shrouded in night and cushions, 
So floats before me a sweet,
lovely dear image.

When silent slumber 
has barely closed my eyes, 
So creeps the image quietly
into my dream.

And in the morning 
it never fades away with the dream:
Then I carry it about with me in my heart 
the whole day.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by David K. Smythe, (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: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 60

Translation © by David K. Smythe
2. Mondnacht  [sung text not yet checked]
by Carl Graff , "Mondnacht", op. 1 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 2, published 1879 [ voice and piano ], Kassel, Voigt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Es war, als [hätt']1 der Himmel,
Die Erde still geküßt,
Daß sie im Blütenschimmer
Von ihm [nun]2 träumen müßt.

Die Luft ging durch die Felder,
Die Ähren wogten sacht,
Es rauschten leis die Wälder,
So sternklar war die Nacht.

Und meine Seele spannte
Weit ihre Flügel aus,
Flog [durch]3 die stillen [Lande]4,
Als flöge sie nach Haus.

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

View original text (without footnotes)

Note for line 1: on the repetition in Thuille's song, "hätt'" becomes "hätte".

1 Hutter: "ob"; further changes may exist not shown above.
2 Brahms, Schumann: "nur"
3 Thuille: "über"
4 Brahms: "Räume"

by Joseph Karl Benedikt, Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788 - 1857)
2. Moonlit night
Language: English 
It was as if the sky
Had quietly kissed the earth,
So that, glistening with blossoms,
She must only dream of him.1

The breeze wafted through the fields,
The ears of corn waved gently,
The forests rustled faintly,
So sparkling clear was the night.

And my soul stretched 
its wings out far,
Flew through the still lands,
as if it were flying home.

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

View original text (without footnotes)
Translation of title "Mondnacht" = "Moonlit night"
1 In German, "Die Erde" (the earth) is feminine and "Der Himmel" (the sky) is masculine.


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 64

Translation © by Emily Ezust
3. Freudvoll und leidvoll  [sung text not yet checked]
by Carl Graff , "Freudvoll und leidvoll", op. 1 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 3, published 1879 [ voice and piano ], Kassel, Voigt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Freudvoll
Und leidvoll,
Gedankenvoll seyn;
[Langen]1
Und bangen
In schwebender Pein;
Himmelhoch jauchzend
Zum Tode betrübt;
Glücklich allein
Ist die Seele, die liebt.

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Goethe's Werke, Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand, Achter Band, Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J.G.Cottaschen Buchhandlung, 1827, pages 231-232, and with Egmont. Trauerspiel von Goethe. Leipzig bei Georg Joachim Göschen 1788, page 97.

Note for line 4 word 1: some editions not endorsed by Goethe have "Hangen" instead of "Langen".

1 Liszt, Rubinstein: "Hangen"

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
3. Joyful and sorrowful
Language: English 
Joyful
And sorrowful,
Thoughtful;
Longing
And anxious
In constant anguish;
Skyhigh rejoicing
despairing to death;
Happy alone
Is the soul that loves.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Richard Morris, (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: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 10
Word count: 22

Translation © by Richard Morris
4. Nur einmal möcht' ich Dir noch sagen  [sung text not yet checked]
by Carl Graff , "Nur einmal möcht' ich Dir noch sagen", op. 1 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 4, published 1879 [ voice and piano ], Kassel, Voigt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Nur einmal [möcht' ich dir noch]1 sagen,
Wie du unendlich lieb mir bist,
Wie dich, so lang mein Herz wird schlagen,
Auch meine Seele nie vergißt.

Kein Wörtlein solltest du erwidern,
[Nur freundlich mir]2 in's Auge sehn,
Ja, mit gesenkten Augenlidern
Nur stumm und schweigend vor mir stehn.

[Ich aber]3 legte meine Hände
[Dir betend]4 auf das schöne Haupt,
[Damit dir Gott]5 den Frieden sende,
Den meiner Seele du geraubt.

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Gedichte von Julius Sturm, Leipzig, F. A. Brockhaus, 1850, page 32. Note: the last line appeared in this edition as "Den meine Seele dir geraubt", but this misprint was corrected as early as 1856 in Dichterstimmen der Gegenwart. Eine Sammlung vom Felde der deutschen Lyrik seit 1850, herausgegeben von Karl Weller, Leipzig: Heinrich Hübner, 1856, page 464. Editions after this date used "Den meiner Seele du geraubt", as did all the settings marked checked below.

1 Hesse: "noch möcht' ich dir"; Wirz: "möcht' ich dir es"; further changes may exist not noted above.
2 Wüllner: "Mir freundlich nur"
3 Gumbert: "Doch ich, ich"
4 Wüllner: "Betend dir"
5 Wüllner: "Auf dass Gott dir"

by Julius Karl Reinhold Sturm (1816 - 1896)
4.
Language: English 
Just once, I would like to tell you
How unceasingly precious you are to me,
How you, as long as my heart is still beating,
Will never be forgotten by my soul.

You needn’t reply with a single word,
Just gaze kindly into my eyes,
Yes, with lowered eyelids
Just stand before me, speechless and quiet.

But I will lay my hands
Prayerfully upon your beautiful head,
That God might send the peace,
Which my soul stole from you.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2022 by Michael P Rosewall, (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: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2022-07-01
Line count: 12
Word count: 79

Translation © by Michael P Rosewall