English translations of Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte, opus 16

by Ernest Nikolayevich Merten (1814 - 1876)

1. Bitte  [sung text not yet checked]
by Ernest Nikolayevich Merten (1814 - 1876), "Bitte", op. 16 (Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1882 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kahnt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Weil' auf mir, du dunkles Auge,
Übe deine ganze Macht,
Ernste, milde, [träumerische]1,
Unergründlich süße Nacht!

Nimm mit deinem Zauberdunkel
Diese Welt von hinnen mir,
Daß du über meinem Leben
Einsam schwebest für und für.

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Confirmed with Nicolaus Lenau's sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von G. Emil Barthel, Leipzig: Druck und Verlag von Philipp Reclam jun., [1883], page 11.

1 Bolko von Hochberg: "zauberische"; Sjögren: "träumereiche"

by Nikolaus Lenau (1802 - 1850)
1. Linger on me, dark eyes
Language: English 
Linger on me, dark eyes -
exert your entire power,
somber, mild, dream-like,
unfathomably sweet night.

With your magic darkness
take from me this world,
so that above my life
you alone will float forever and ever.

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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Line count: 8
Word count: 36

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2. Hör' ich das Liedchen klingen  [sung text not yet checked]
by Ernest Nikolayevich Merten (1814 - 1876), "Hör' ich das Liedchen klingen", op. 16 (Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1882 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kahnt, also set in Russian (Русский)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Hör' ich das Liedchen klingen,
Das einst die Liebste sang,
[So will mir die Brust]1 zerspringen
[Vor]2 wildem [Schmerzendrang.]3

[Es treibt mich]4 ein dunkles Sehnen
Hinauf [zur]5 Waldeshöh',
Dort löst sich auf in Tränen
Mein übergroßes Weh'.

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Confirmed with Heinrich Heine, Buch der Lieder, Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg, 1827, page 145.

1 Meyerbeer: "Will mir das Herz"
2 Schumann: "Von"
3 Franz, Hinrichs: "Schmerzensdrang"
4 Meyerbeer: "Mich treibt"
5 Hinrichs: "zu der"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
2. I hear the dear song sounding
Language: English 
I hear the dear song sounding
That once my beloved sang.
And my heart wants to burst so strongly
From the savage pressure of pain.

A dark longing is driving me
Up into the heights of the woods
Where in my tears can be dissolved
My own colossal woe.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Paul Hindemith, (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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Translation © by Paul Hindemith
3. Und wollt' ich dir Liebe gestehen
by Ernest Nikolayevich Merten (1814 - 1876), "Und wollt' ich dir Liebe gestehen", op. 16 (Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1882 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kahnt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Und wollt' ich dir Liebe gestehen
 . . . . . . . . . .

— The rest of this text is not
currently in the database but will be
added as soon as we obtain it. —

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3.
[Translation not yet available]
4. Wenn zwei von einander scheiden  [sung text not yet checked]
by Ernest Nikolayevich Merten (1814 - 1876), "Wenn zwei von einander scheiden", op. 16 (Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 4, published 1882 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kahnt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wenn zwei von einander scheiden,
So geben sie sich die Händ',
Und fangen an zu weinen,
Und seufzen ohne End'.

Wir haben nicht [geweinet]1,
Wir seufzten nicht Weh und Ach!
Die [Tränen und die Seufzer]2,
Die kamen hinten nach.

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Confirmed with Heinrich Heine, Buch der Lieder, Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg, 1827, page 153.

1 Reinecke: "geweint"
2 Decker, Reinecke: "Seufzer und die Tränen"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
4. When two people part
Language: English 
When two people part
They give each other their hands
And they begin to weep
And sigh endlessly!
We did not weep,
And did not sigh "woe" and "alas."
The tears and the sighs
Came afterwards!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2006 by Sharon Krebs and Harald 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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This text was added to the website: 2006-12-14
Line count: 8
Word count: 36

Translation © by Sharon Krebs, Harald Krebs
5. O rede nicht vom Scheiden und Entsagen  [sung text not yet checked]
by Ernest Nikolayevich Merten (1814 - 1876), "O rede nicht vom Scheiden und Entsagen", op. 16 (Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 5, published 1882 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kahnt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
O rede nicht vom Scheiden und Entsagen, 
Von dem Gebot der umbarmherz'gen Pflicht! 
Den feuchten Blick seh' ich dich niederschlagen 
Ich glaube nur was deine Thräne spricht. 
O rede nicht!  

Du bleibest mein, was auch die Lippen schwören, 
Du hörst dein Herz sie einer Lüge zeihn; 
Du fühlst es tief, daß wir uns angehören, 
Du weißt es wohl, es kann nicht anders sein, 
Du bleibest mein!

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Confirmed with Karolina Karlovna Pavlova: Eine Dichterin russich-deutscher Wechselseitigkeit,, a dissertation by Barbara Lettmann-Sadony, München: Verlag Otto Sagner, 1971. This is Band 50 of Slavistische Beiträge. Appears in Erster Teil, Biographie: Biographischer Abriß, page 19, footnote 24.


by Karolina Karlovna Pavlova (1807 - 1893)
5.
[Translation not yet available]
6. Vorsatz  [sung text not yet checked]
by Ernest Nikolayevich Merten (1814 - 1876), "Vorsatz", op. 16 (Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 6, published 1882 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kahnt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ich [will's dir]1 nimmer sagen,
Wie ich so lieb dich hab',
Im Herzen will ich's tragen,
Will [stumm]2 sein wie das Grab.

Kein Lied [soll dir's]3 gestehen,
Soll flehen um mein Glück,
Du selber sollst es sehen,
Du selbst -- in meinem Blick.

Und [kannst]4 du es nicht lesen,
Was dort so zärtlich spricht,
So ist's ein Traum gewesen;
Dem Träumer zürne nicht.

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Confirmed with Robert Prutz, Buch der Liebe, Fünfte Auflage, Leipzig: Verlag von Ernst Keil, 1883, page 45. Note: C. Schnabel's score has a typo in stanza 2, line 2, word 4 ("dein" instead of "mein").

1 Becker, Dorn, Hallet, Hoth, Hoppe, Jonas, Lang, Lassen, Lederer, Naret-Koning, Nodnagel, Nordmann, Rehberg, Roeder, Schaefer, C. Schultz, Simon: "will dir's"; Bradsky, Kauffmann: "will Dir"; further changes may exist for composers with unverified texts.
2 Lang: "still"
3 Schnabel: "soll's dir"
4 Henkel: "willst"

by Robert Eduard Prutz (1816 - 1872)
6. Resolution
Language: English 
I shall never tell you
How much I love you.
I shall carry it in my heart,
And shall be as [mute]1 as the grave.
 
No song [poem] shall confess it to you,
Shall plead for my happiness;
You yourself must see it,
You yourself [must see it] in my gaze.
 
And if you cannot read
What speaks so tenderly there,
Then it was but a dream.
Do not be angry with the dreamer!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2006 by Sharon Krebs and Harald 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:
"Entsagung" = "Renunciation"
"Ich will's dir nimmer sagen" and "Ich will dir's nimmer sagen" = "I shall never tell you"
"Mein Geheimniss" = "My secret"
"Stille Liebe" = "Silent love"
"Verschwiegene Liebe" = "Concealed love"
"Volkslied" = "Folksong"
"Vorsatz" = "Resolution"

1 Lang: "silent"


This text was added to the website: 2006-12-23
Line count: 12
Word count: 75

Translation © by Sharon Krebs, Harald Krebs