English translations of Zwei Lieder, opus 27

by Heinrich, Freiherr von Bach (1835 - 1915), as Heinrich Molbe

1. Mir träumte: traurig schaute der Mond  [sung text not yet checked]
by Heinrich, Freiherr von Bach (1835 - 1915), as Heinrich Molbe, "Mir träumte: traurig schaute der Mond", op. 27 (Zwei Lieder) no. 1, published 1888 [ voice and piano ], Wien, Rörich
Language: German (Deutsch) 
  Mir träumte: [traurig]1 [schaute]2 der Mond,
Und traurig schienen die Sterne;
Es trug mich zur Stadt, wo Liebchen wohnt,
Viel hundert Meilen ferne.

  Es hat mich zu ihrem Hause geführt,
Ich küßte die Steine der Treppe,
Die oft ihr kleiner Fuß berührt
Und ihres Kleides Schleppe.

  Die Nacht war lang, die Nacht war kalt,
Es waren so kalt die Steine;
Es [lugt']3 aus dem Fenster die blasse Gestalt,
Beleuchtet vom Mondenscheine!

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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 128.

1 Seligmann: "schaurig"
2 von Erlanger: "schien"
3 von Erlanger: "luch" ?

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
1. I dreamt: the moon gazed sadly
Language: English 
[I dreamt: the moon gazed sadly]1,
And sadly shone the stars;
I was carried to the city where my beloved lives,
Many hundreds of miles away.

I was led to her house,
I kissed the stones of the stoop
That her little foot
And the train of her dress had touched.

The night was long, the night was cold,
The stones were so cold;
Her pale form peers out of the window,
Illumined by moonlight!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2020 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):
"An Sie" = "To her"
"Ihre Gestalt" = "Her form"
"Mir träumte" = "I dreamt"
"Mir träumte, schaurig schaute der Mond" = "I dreamt, the moon gazed gruesomely"
"Mir träumte: traurig schaute der Mond" = "I dreamt: the moon gazed sadly"
"Mir träumte: traurig schien der Mond" = "I dreamt: the moon shone sadly"
"Sehnsucht II" = "Yearning II"
"Traumbild" = "Dream image"

1 von Erlanger: " I dreamt: the moon shone sadly"; Seligmann: "I dreamt, the moon gazed gruesomely"


This text was added to the website: 2020-08-26
Line count: 12
Word count: 77

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. Wie ist so ruhig  [sung text not yet checked]
by Heinrich, Freiherr von Bach (1835 - 1915), as Heinrich Molbe, "Wie ist so ruhig", op. 27 (Zwei Lieder) no. 2 [ voice and piano ], Wien, Rörich
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wie ist so ruhig, klar und rein
Dein liebes Angesicht,
So wie im Lenz der Mondenschein
Ein träumerisches Licht!

Ich gehe Nächtens nie allein,
Dein holdes Bild geht mit,
Und selbst der Mond in hellem Schein
Hält mit mir Tritt und Schritt.

Doch geh' ich in mein Kämmerlein
Und drück' die Augen zu,
So schwindet zwar der Mondenschein,
Doch, Liebchen, niemals du.

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by Julius Mosen (1803 - 1867)
2. How calm
Language: English 
How calm, clear, and pure
Thy dearest face appears!
As much so as the moon's glow
In spring dreamily lights our way!

I never go alone by night,
but your fair image attends me,
and the moon, shining ever brightly
keeps pace with me alone.

But still I go back to my chamber,
and compel mine eyes to close.
So it is that the moonlight fades,
But, dearest, you never shall.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2020 by Andrew Schneider, (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):
"Der Mond und Sie" = "The Moon and Her"
"Wie ist so ruhig" = "How calm"



This text was added to the website: 2020-03-28
Line count: 12
Word count: 71

Translation © by Andrew Schneider