English translations of Vier Gesänge für 2 Singstimme (Sopran und Alt) mit Pianoforte , opus 24

by Wilhelm Freudenberg (1838 - 1928)

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1. Geduld, du kleine Knospe   [sung text not yet checked]
by Wilhelm Freudenberg (1838 - 1928), "Geduld, du kleine Knospe ", op. 24 (Vier Gesänge für 2 Singstimme (Sopran und Alt) mit Pianoforte ) no. 1, published 1875 [ duet for soprano and alto with piano ], Leipzig, Kahnt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Geduld, du kleine Knospe,
Im lieben stillen Wald,
Es ist noch viel zu frostig,
Es ist noch viel zu bald.

Noch geh ich dich vorüber,
Doch merk ich mir den Platz,
Und kommt heran der Frühling,
So hol ich dich, mein Schatz.

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Confirmed with Gesammelte Werke des Grafen August von Platen in 5 Bänden, 1. Bd., Stuttgart und Tübingen, 1848.


by August von Platen-Hallermünde (1796 - 1835)
1. Winter song
Language: English 
Be patient small bud
In the lovely quiet wood,
It is still far too frosty
It is still far too early.

I shall leave you there now
But I have made a note of the spot
And when spring arrives
I shall come and fetch you, my treasure.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2005 by Malcolm Wren, (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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This text was added to the website: 2005-04-11
Line count: 8
Word count: 48

Translation © by Malcolm Wren
2. Der Glücksvogel  [sung text not yet checked]
by Wilhelm Freudenberg (1838 - 1928), "Der Glücksvogel", op. 24 (Vier Gesänge für 2 Singstimme (Sopran und Alt) mit Pianoforte ) no. 2, published 1875 [ duet for soprano and alto with piano ], Leipzig, Kahnt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Es [fliegt]1 ein Vogel in dem Hain,
Und singt und lockt: man soll' ihn fangen.
Es fliegt ein Vogel in dem Hain,
Aus dem Hain in den Wald, in die Welt hinein,
In die Welt und über die See.
  Und könnte wer den Vogel fangen,
  Der würde frei von aller Pein,
  Von aller Pein und Weh'!

Es fliegt der Vogel in dem Hain,
"O könnt' ich mir den Vogel fangen!"
Es fliegt der Vogel in dem Hain,
Aus dem Hain in den Wald, in die Welt hinein,
In die Welt und über die See.
  "O könnt' ich mir den Vogel fangen,
  So würd' ich frei von aller Pein,
  Von aller Pein und Weh!"

Der Knabe lief wohl in den Hain;
Er will den schönen Vogel fangen.
Der Vogel flog wohl aus dem Hain,
Aus dem Hain in den Wald, in die Welt hinein,
In die Welt und über die See.
  Und hat der Knab' ihn erst gefangen,
  So wird er frei von aller Pein,
  Von aller Pein und Weh'!

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1 Freudenberg: "singt"; further changes may exist not shown above.

by Adelbert von Chamisso (1781 - 1838)
2. The bluebird of happiness
Language: English 
A bird is flying in the grove,
And singing and beckoning:  one is to catch it.
A bird is flying in the grove,
From the grove into the forest, out into the world,
Into the world and over the sea.
 And if a person could catch the bird,
 He would be free from all anguish,
 From all anguish and pain!

The bird is flying in the grove,
"Oh, if I could catch that bird!"
The bird is flying in the grove,
From the grove into the forest, out into the world,
Into the world and over the sea.
 "Oh, if I could catch that bird,
 I would be free from all anguish,
 From all anguish and pain!

The lad ran into the grove;
He wants to catch the beautiful bird.
The bird flew out of the grove,
From the grove into the forest, out into the world,
Into the world and over the sea.
 And when the lad has finally caught the bird,
 He will become free from all anguish,
 From all anguish and pain!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2011 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.
    Contact: 

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This text was added to the website: 2011-01-07
Line count: 24
Word count: 175

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
3. Könnt ich je zu düster sein?  [sung text not yet checked]
by Wilhelm Freudenberg (1838 - 1928), "Könnt ich je zu düster sein?", op. 24 (Vier Gesänge für 2 Singstimme (Sopran und Alt) mit Pianoforte ) no. 3, published 1875 [ duet for soprano and alto with piano ], Leipzig, Kahnt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ich schleich umher, 
Betrübt und stumm,
Du fragst, o frage 
Mich nicht, warum?
Das Herz erschüttert
So manche Pein!
Und könnt' ich je
Zu düster sein?

Der Baum verdorrt,
Der Duft vergeht, 
Die Blätter liegen
So gelb im Beet,
Es stürmt ein Schauer
Mit Macht herein,
Und könnt ich je
Zu düster sein?

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by August von Platen-Hallermünde (1796 - 1835)
3. I creep about
Language: English 
I creep about, 
sad and mute. 
You ask, o ask 
me not, why?
My heart shakes 
with so much pain!
Could I ever be 
too gloomy?

The tree withers and dies, 
the breeze fades away,
The leaves lie 
so yellow in the yard,
A shower storms 
with might toward us;
Could I ever be
too gloomy?

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: 16
Word count: 56

Translation © by Emily Ezust
4. Dulde, gedulde dich fein  [sung text not yet checked]
by Wilhelm Freudenberg (1838 - 1928), "Dulde, gedulde dich fein", op. 24 (Vier Gesänge für 2 Singstimme (Sopran und Alt) mit Pianoforte ) no. 4, published 1875 [ duet for soprano and alto with piano ], Leipzig, Kahnt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
  Dulde, gedulde dich fein!
  Über ein [Stündlein]1
  Ist dein Kammer voll Sonne.

Über den First, wo die Glocken hangen,
Ist schon lange der Schein gegangen,
Ging in Thürmers Fenster ein.
Wer am nächsten dem Sturm der Glocken,
Einsam wohnt er, oft erschrocken,
Doch am frühsten tröstet ihn Sonnenschein.

Wer in tiefen Gassen gebaut,
Hütt' an Hütt'lein [lehnt]2 sich traut, 
Glocken haben ihn nie erschüttert,
[Wetterstrahl ihn nie umzittert]3,
Aber spät sein Morgen graut. 

Höh' und Tiefe hat Lust und Leid.
Sag' ihm ab, dem thörigen Neid:
Andrer Gram birgt andre Wonne.

  Dulde, gedulde dich fein!
  Über ein [Stündlein]1
  Ist deine Kammer voll Sonne.

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Confirmed with Gesammelte Werke von Paul Heyse. Erster Band. Gedichte, Berlin, Verlag von Wilhelm Hertz, 1872, page 1.

Note: in many older editions, the spelling of the capitalized word "über" becomes "Ueber", but this is often due to the printing process and not to rules of orthography, since the lower-case version is not "ueber", so we use "Über".

Note: modern German spelling would change "Thürmers" to "Türmers", "thörigen" to "törigen", etc.

1 Furtwängler, Pfitzner: "Stündelein"
2 Furtwängler, Pfitzner: "lehnet"
3 Pfitzner: "Über ihm ist es, wenn es gewittert"

by Paul Heyse (1830 - 1914)
4. Endure, arm yourself well with patience
Language: English 
Endure, arm yourself well with patience!
In a mere hour
Your chamber shall be full of sunshine.
 
Above the roof-ridge, where the bells hang,
The radiance has long departed,
It went into the window of the tower watchman.
He who lives closest to the storm of the bells,
He lives in solitude, is often startled,
But he is the first to be comforted by sunshine.
 
He who builds [his house] in deep alleys,
Where hut leans cosily against hut,
Bells have never unsettled him,
[Lightning has never quivered about him]1,
But his morning dawns late.
 
Height and lowness have joy and sorrow.
Reject foolish jealousy:
A different affliction conceals within it a different joy.
 
Endure, arm yourself well with patience!
In a mere hour
Your chamber shall be full of sunshine.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2011 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.
    Contact: 

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Translated titles
"Über ein Stündlein" = "In a mere hour"
"Dulde, gedulde dich fein" = "Endure, arm yourself well with patience"
"Frühlingshoffen" = "Spring hopes"
"Geduld" = "Patience"

1 Pfitzner: "When there is a storm, it takes place [far] above him"


This text was added to the website: 2011-06-01
Line count: 20
Word count: 133

Translation © by Sharon Krebs