English translations of Drei Männerchöre, opus 4

by Otto Fuchs

1. Mondnacht  [sung text not yet checked]
by Otto Fuchs , "Mondnacht", op. 4 (Drei Männerchöre) no. 1, published 1888 [ men's chorus ], Leipzig: J.H. Zimmermann
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Es war, als [hätt']1 der Himmel,
Die Erde still geküßt,
Daß sie im Blütenschimmer
Von ihm [nun]2 träumen müßt.

Die Luft ging durch die Felder,
Die Ähren wogten sacht,
Es rauschten leis die Wälder,
So sternklar war die Nacht.

Und meine Seele spannte
Weit ihre Flügel aus,
Flog [durch]3 die stillen [Lande]4,
Als flöge sie nach Haus.

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

View original text (without footnotes)

Note for line 1: on the repetition in Thuille's song, "hätt'" becomes "hätte".

1 Hutter: "ob"; further changes may exist not shown above.
2 Brahms, Schumann: "nur"
3 Thuille: "über"
4 Brahms: "Räume"

by Joseph Karl Benedikt, Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788 - 1857)
1. Moonlit night
Language: English 
It was as if the sky
Had quietly kissed the earth,
So that, glistening with blossoms,
She must only dream of him.1

The breeze wafted through the fields,
The ears of corn waved gently,
The forests rustled faintly,
So sparkling clear was the night.

And my soul stretched 
its wings out far,
Flew through the still lands,
as if it were flying home.

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.


Based on:

Go to the general single-text view

View original text (without footnotes)
Translation of title "Mondnacht" = "Moonlit night"
1 In German, "Die Erde" (the earth) is feminine and "Der Himmel" (the sky) is masculine.


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 64

Translation © by Emily Ezust
2. Abendlied  [sung text not yet checked]
by Otto Fuchs , "Abendlied", op. 4 (Drei Männerchöre) no. 2, published 1888 [ men's chorus ], Leipzig: J.H. Zimmermann
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Nun schlafen die Vöglein im Neste,
Nun schlummern die Blüthen am Strauch,
Und unter dem Himmel die Weste,
Horch, horch! sie ruhen nun auch.

Nur droben, da wachen die Sterne
Und singen ihr ewiges Lied,
Das, hallend [aus]1 endloser Ferne,
Leis über die Erde noch zieht.

Und der da von Anbeginn lenket
Das ganze [schimmernde]2 Heer,
Auch deiner liebend gedenket,
Du giltst ihm ja noch viel mehr.

Der segnet die Vöglein und Blüthen,
Und leitet der Winde Hauch,
Der wird auch dich wohl behüten,
So [ruh' im]3 Frieden nun auch!

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Liederbuch von Friedrich Oser, 1842-1874, mit einem biographischen Verzeichnis der Componisten, Basel: Benno Schwabe, Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1875, pages 105-106.

1 Kienzl: "in"
2 Kienzl: "schlummernde"
3 Kienzl: "ruhe in"

by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891)
2. Evening song
Language: English 
Now the little birds are sleeping in their nests,
Now the blossoms on the bush are slumbering,
And the west winds under the canopy of heaven,
Hark, hark! they, too, are now resting.

Only on high, there the stars keep watch
And sing their eternal song,
That, echoing [from]1 endless distances,
Still quietly passes over the earth.

And He who from the beginning has directed
The whole [shimmering]2 host,
Thinks lovingly of you as well,
For you are much more important to Him [than they].

He blesses the birdlets and blossoms,
And orders the breath of the wind;
He shall protect you as well,
So you, too, rest in peace now.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 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: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view

View original text (without footnotes)
1 Kienzl: "in in"
2 Kienzl: "schlummernde slumbering"


This text was added to the website: 2017-06-29
Line count: 16
Word count: 113

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
3. Frühlingslied  [sung text not yet checked]
by Otto Fuchs , "Frühlingslied", op. 4 (Drei Männerchöre) no. 3, published 1888 [ men's chorus ], Leipzig: J.H. Zimmermann
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wenn der Frühling auf die Berge steigt
 Und im Sonnenstrahl der Schnee zerfließt,
Wenn das erste Grün am Baum sich zeigt,
 Und im Gras das erste Blümlein sprießt --
   Wenn vorbei im Thal
   Nun mit einem Mal
 Alle [Regenzeit]1 und Winterqual,
   Schallt es von den Höh'n
   Bis zum Thale weit:
   O, wie wunderschön
   Ist die Frühlingszeit!

Wenn am Gletscher heiß die Sonne leckt,
 [Wenn]2 die Quelle von den Bergen springt,
Alles rings mit [jungem]3 Grün sich deckt
 Und das [Lustgetön]4 der Wälder klingt--
   [Lüfte]5 lind und lau
   Würzt die grüne Au,
 Und der Himmel lacht so rein und blau,
   Schallt es von den Höh'n
   Bis zum Thale weit:
   O, wie wunderschön
   Ist die Frühlingszeit!

War's nicht auch zur jungen Frühlingszeit,
 Als Dein Herz sich meinem Herz erschloß?
Als [von]6 Dir, du wundersüße Maid,
 [Ich den]7 ersten langen Kuß genoß!
   Durch den Hain [entlang]8,
   Heller Lustgesang,
 Und die Quelle von den Bergen sprang--
   [Scholl]9 es von den Höh'n
   Bis zum Thale weit:
   O, wie wunderschön
   Ist die Frühlingszeit!

Text Authorship:

Based on:

See other settings of this text.

View original text (without footnotes)

Note: in Zöllner's setting, in stanza 1, line 11, when "Ist" is repeated, it becomes "Ist doch"

1 Mandyczewski: "Regenszeit"
2 Frank: "Und"
3 Frank: "frischem"
4 Mandyczewski: "Luftgetön" (typo in the score?)
5 Frank: "Düfte"
6 Zöllner: "ich von"
7 Zöllner: "Den"
8 Frank, Zöllner: "erklang"
9 Frank, Zöllner: "Schallt"

by Friedrich Martin von Bodenstedt (1819 - 1892)
3. Song of Spring
Language: English 
When spring climbs up on the mountains
 And the snow melts in the sunbeams,
When the first green shows itself on the trees,
 And in the grass the first little flower springs up,
   When in the valley
   Suddenly now
 All rainy time and winter misery is over,
   Then it rings out from the heights
   Down to the wide valley:
   Oh how wondrously beautiful
   Is springtime!

When the sun's heat melts the glaciers,
 When the water spring leaps from the mountains,
[When] everything around adorns itself with green
 And the [joyful]1 sounds of the forest ring out,
   [When] mild and warm breezes
   Become filled with the scents of the green meadow,
 And the heavens smile so pure and blue,
   Then it rings out from the heights
   Down to the wide valley:
   Oh how wondrously beautiful
   Is springtime!

And was it not also during early springtime
 That your heart revealed itself to my heart?
When, you wondrously sweet maiden,
 I revelled in the first long kiss from you?
   Throughout the grove
   Bright, joyful singing,
 And the water spring leapt from the mountains --
   Then it rang out from the heights
   Down to the wide valley:
   Oh how wondrously beautiful
   Is springtime!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2013 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: 

Based on:

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view

View original text (without footnotes)

Translated titles:
"O, wie wunderschön ist die Frühlingszeit" = "Oh how wondrously beautiful is springtime"
"Die Frühlingszeit" and "Frühlingszeit" = "Springtime"
"Wenn der Frühling auf die Berge steigt = "When spring climbs up upon the mountains"
"Frühlingslied" = "Song of Spring"
"Frühling" = "Spring"
"O wie wunderschön" = "Oh how wondrously beautiful"
"O wie wunderschön ist die Frühlingszeit" = "Oh how wondrously beautiful is springtime"
"O wunderschöne Frühlingszeit" = "Oh beautiful springtime"
"Wunderschöne Frühlingszeit" = "Wondrously beautiful springtime"

1 Mandyczewski: "airy" (but possibly a typo in the score)


This text was added to the website: 2013-07-31
Line count: 33
Word count: 199

Translation © by Sharon Krebs