English translations of Drei Lieder, opus 23

by Woldemar Voullaire (1825 - 1902)

1. Leise zieht durch mein Gemüt  [sung text not yet checked]
by Woldemar Voullaire (1825 - 1902), "Leise zieht durch mein Gemüt", op. 23 no. 1, published 1890 [ soprano, piano, and violin ], Leipzig, Robolsky
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Leise [zieht]1 durch mein Gemüth
Liebliches Geläute.
Klinge, kleines Frühlingslied,
Kling' hinaus in's Weite.

[Kling']2 hinaus bis an das Haus,
Wo die [Blumen]3 sprießen.
Wenn du eine Rose schaust,
Sag' ich lass' sie grüßen.

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Confirmed with Neue Gedichte von Heinrich Heine, Zehnte Auflage, Hamburg, Hoffmann und Campe, 1871, page 10.

Note: modern German would change the spelling "Gemüth" to "Gemüt"

1 Quiteria: "klingt"; further changes may exist not shown above.
2 Grieg, Lachner: "Zieh"
3 Behrens, Gade, Grieg, Lachner, Urspruch, Zenger: "Veilchen"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
1. Sweet chimes are softly filling my soul
Language: English 
Sweet chimes are softly
filling my soul;
Ring, little springtime-song
Ring out: far and wide.

Go forward till you reach the house,
where the violets bloom;
And if you see a rose,
give her my greetings.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Marty Lucas, (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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Line count: 8
Word count: 36

Translation © by Marty Lucas
2. Der verschwundene Stern  [sung text not yet checked]
by Woldemar Voullaire (1825 - 1902), "Der verschwundene Stern", op. 23 no. 2, published 1890 [ soprano, piano, and violin ], Leipzig, Robolsky
Language: German (Deutsch) 
[Es stand ein Sternlein]1 am Himmel,
Ein Sternlein guter Art;
Das tät so lieblich scheinen,
So lieblich und so zart!

Ich wußte seine Stelle
[Am Himmel, wo es]2 stand;
Trat abends vor die Schwelle,
Und suchte, bis ich's fand;

[Und]3 blieb dann lange stehen,
Hatt' große Freud' in mir,
Das Sternlein anzusehen;
Und dankte Gott dafür.

Das Sternlein ist verschwunden;
Ich suche hin und her
Wo ich es sonst gefunden,
Und find' es nun nicht mehr.

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1 Kleffel: "Es stand ein Stern am Himmel" (further changes may exist not shown above) ; Ruck-Hanke: "Ein Sternlein stand"
2 Ruck-Hanke: "Wo es am Himmel"
3 Weingartner: "Ich"

by Matthias Claudius (1740 - 1815)
2. Christiane
Language: English 
There was a little star in the sky,
A star of good nature;
It used to shine so meekly,
So meekly and so mild.

I knew its place
In the sky where it stood;
In the evening I stepped out of the door
And was looking for it until I found it.

And then I remained standing,
Feeling a deep joy
To look at the little star;
And thanked God for it.

The little star is gone;
I try to find it here and there
Where I have found it before,
And find it now no more.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2004 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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Line count: 16
Word count: 97

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann
3. Erinnerung  [sung text not yet checked]
by Woldemar Voullaire (1825 - 1902), "Erinnerung", op. 23 no. 3, published 1890 [ soprano, piano, and violin ], Leipzig, Robolsky
Language: German (Deutsch) 
  Lindes Rauschen in den Wipfeln,
Vöglein, die ihr fernab fliegt,
Bronnen von den stillen Gipfeln,
Sagt, wo meine Heimat liegt?

  Heut' im Traum sah ich [sie]1 wieder,
Und von allen Bergen ging
Solches Grüßen zu mir nieder,
Daß ich an zu weinen fing.

  Ach! hier auf den fremden Gipfeln:
Menschen, Quellen, Fels und Baum --
Wirres Rauschen in den Wipfeln
Alles ist mir wie ein Traum.

Muntre Vögel in den Wipfeln,
Ihr Gesellen dort im Tal,
Grüßt mir von den fremden Gipfeln
Meine Heimat tausendmal!

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Confirmed with Gedichte von Joseph Freiherrn von Eichendorff, Zehnte Auflage, Leipzig: C.F. Amelang's Verlag, ca. 1879, pages 49-50.

Also confirmed with Viel Lärmen um Nichts von Joseph Freiherrn von Eichendorff und Die mehreren Wehmüller und ungarischen Nationalgesichter von Clemens Brentano. Zwei Novellen, Berlin: In der Vereins-Buchhandlung, 1833, pages 13 (first three stanzas) and 15 (fourth stanza).

Note: first appeared in the novella Viel Lärmen um Nichts, 1833; fourth stanza omitted in later collection

1 Hensel: "euch"

by Joseph Karl Benedikt, Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788 - 1857)
3. O gentle rustling in the tree-tops
Language: English 
O gentle rustling in the tree-tops,
O little birds who fly far away,
O springs who come from the still peaks,
Tell me where my homeland lies!

Today in a dream I saw it again,
And from every mountain 
Such greetings came down to me,
That I began to weep.

Ah! here on the foreign peaks,
People, streams, rocks and trees -
Confused rustling in the tree-tops -
Everything is like a dream to me!

O cheerful little birds in the tree-tops,
O young men there in the vale,
Bring my greetings from these foreign peaks,
To my home a thousand times!

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: 101

Translation © by Emily Ezust