English translations of Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte, opus 83

by Alban Förster (1849 - 1916)

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1. Das erste Lied  [sung text not yet checked]
by Alban Förster (1849 - 1916), "Das erste Lied", op. 83 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1883 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kistner
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wer hat das erste Lied erdacht,
  Das in die Lüfte scholl?
Der Frühling fand's in lauer Nacht,
  Das Herz [von]1 Wonne voll;
Er sang es früh im Fliederbaum
  Und schlug den [Tact]2 dazu:
"O Maienzeit, o Liebestraum,
  Was ist so süß wie Du?"

Da kamen Mück' und Käferlein,
  Waldvöglein [sonder]3 Zahl;
[Die]4 übten [sich die Weise]5 ein,
  Wohl an die tausend Mal.
Sie trugen's durch den Himmelsraum
  Und durch die Waldesruh:
"O Maienzeit, o Liebestraum,
  Was ist so süß wie Du?"

Mir sang's am Bach die Nachtigall,
  Da ward mir wonnig weh;
Nun folgt das Lied mir überall
  Durch [Duft]6 und Blütenschnee.
Ich pflück' den Zweig vom Fliederbaum
  Und sing' es immerzu:
"O Maienzeit, o Liebestraum,
  Was ist so süß wie Du?"

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Confirmed with Die Gartenlaube. Illustrirtes Familienblatt, Band XXVII, Nr. 23 (1879), page 386.

1 Weidt: "vor"
2 Abt, Busoni: "Takt"
3 Abt: "ohne"
4 Busoni: "Sie"
5 Weidt: "ihre Weisen"
6 Busoni: "Luft"

by Victor August Eberhard Blüthgen (1844 - 1920)
1. Who invented the first song
Language: English 
Who devised the first song,
that into the air did resound?
Spring found it in the balmy night,
filling hearts with joy.
He sang it first in the lilacs
and the rhythm puls'd to it:
O May!  the time of love-dreams,
what is as sweet as you!

Then, little gnats and beetles came,
Forest birds marked the tune,
they practiced the style,
and by thousandfold;
they carried it thru' the heavens
and in all the forest is peace:
O Maytime joy, o time of love-dreams,
what is as sweet as you!

The nightingale sang to me by the brook,
and a sweet sadness o'er came me!
Now, the song follows me everywhere
through the air and snow-white blooms.
From the lilacs I gather a bouquet
and I always sing:
O Maytime, o time of love-dreams,
what is as sweet as you!
what is as sweet as you!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by John H. Campbell, (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 between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 25
Word count: 147

Translation © by John H. Campbell
2. Frühlingstag  [sung text not yet checked]
by Alban Förster (1849 - 1916), "Frühlingstag", op. 83 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1883 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kistner
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Es ist so still, als wär' es Schlafenszeit,
Als wär' entschlummert Not und Leid,
Gestorben Angst und Qual.
Kein Hauch bewegt die Bäume,
Wie unschuldsvolle Kinderträume
Ziehn leis die Wölklein übers Tal.

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by Carl Siebel (1836 - 1868)
2. Spring day
Language: English 
 It is so quiet, as if it were time to sleep,
 as if suffering and pain were slumbering,
 and as if fear and misery have died.
 Not a breath stirs the trees;
 like the innocent dreams of children,
 the little clouds float gently over the valley.

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: 6
Word count: 47

Translation © by Emily Ezust
3. Hab' ich endlich dich gefangen 
by Alban Förster (1849 - 1916), "Hab' ich endlich dich gefangen ", op. 83 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1883 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kistner
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Hab' ich endlich dich gefangen 
 . . . . . . . . . .

— 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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by Josef Ferdinand Friedrich Korn, né Seligmann Kohn (1803 - 1850), as Friedrich Nork
3.
[Translation not yet available]
4. Im Volkston  [sung text not yet checked]
by Alban Förster (1849 - 1916), "Im Volkston", op. 83 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 4, published 1883 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kistner
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Einen Brief soll ich schreiben
Meinem Schatz in der Fern;
[Sie hat mich gebeten,
Sie]1 hätt's gar [zu]2 gern.

Da lauf ich zum Krämer,
Kauf Tint' und Papier
Und schneid mir ein' Feder,
Und sitz nun dahier.

Als wir noch mitsammen
Uns lustig gemacht,
[Da haben wir nimmer]3
Ans Schreiben gedacht.

[Was hilft mir nun Feder
Und Tint' und Papier!]4
Du weißt, die Gedanken 
Sind allzeit bei dir.

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1 Keller: "Er hat mich gebeten,/ Er"; Reger, Schelb: "Er hat mir geschrieben,/ er"
2 Keller: "so"
3 Reger, Schelb: "Hat sie nicht, hab ich nicht "
4 Reger, Schelb: "Was nützt mir nun Tinte/ Und Feder und Papier?"

by Theodor Storm (1817 - 1888)
4.
Language: English 
I should write a letter
To my sweetheart far away;
She asked it of me,
She would really like it.

So, I ran to the chandler
And bought ink and paper,
Und cut myself a quill pen, 
And now sit here.

When we were still together
And were happy together,
At that point, we had never
Thought about writing.

What help for me now are quill
And ink and paper?
You know that my thoughts
Are always with 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.
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This text was added to the website: 2022-06-27
Line count: 16
Word count: 79

Translation © by Michael P Rosewall