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

by Alfred Kayl

1. Mädchenlied  [sung text not yet checked]
by Alfred Kayl , "Mädchenlied", op. 1 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1894 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Grude
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Die Luft ist grau und grau das Meer,
Der Wind fegt pfeifend drüber her,
Die Möwe kreischt, die Brandung wallt, --
Wie ward mein Herz so sterbensalt!
  Traurig rinnen die Tage.

Wohl hab' ich andre [Zeit]1 gekannt,
Wir fuhren im Nachen, Hand in Hand,
Das Meer war blau, die Sonne schien,
Ich sah und wußte nichts als ihn;
  Selig waren die Tage.

Nun liegt der Kahn und fault am Strand,
Er aber [ging]2 ins fremde Land,
Er ging, ein hohes Weib zu frein, --
Gott geb' ihm Glück! Das Leid ist mein.
  Traurig rinnen die Tage.

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Confirmed with Emanuel Geibel, Spätherbstblätter, Stuttgart: Verlag der J.G. Cotta’schen Buchhandlung, 1877, page 221

1 Courvoisier: "Zeiten"
2 Steuer: "zog"

by Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884)
1.
Language: English 
The air is grey and grey the sea,
Whistling, the wind sweeps across it,
The seagull screams, the waves surge, --
How my heart has become so aged with death!
  The days flow by sadly.

Truly I knew [another time]1,
We floated in a barque, hand in hand,
The sea was blue, the sun shone,
I saw and knew nothing but him;
  Blissful were the days.

Now the barque lies moldering on the shore,
But he went into a foreign land,
He went to court a woman of high station, --
May God give him joy! The sorrow is mine.
  The days flow by sadly.

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.
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Translations of title(s):
"Die Luft ist grau" = "The air is grey"
"Traurig rinnen die Tage" = "The days flow sadly"
"Nordisch" = "Nordic"
"Verlassen" = "Forsaken"
"November" = "November"
"Nordisches Mädchenlied" = "Nordic song of a maiden"
"Mädchenlied" = "Song of a maiden"

1 Courvoisier: "other times"


This text was added to the website: 2017-11-04
Line count: 15
Word count: 105

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. Im Grase thaut's die Blumen träumen  [sung text not yet checked]
by Alfred Kayl , "Im Grase thaut's die Blumen träumen", op. 1 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1894 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Grude
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Im Grase thaut's, die Blumen träumen 
Von ihrem bunten Honigdieb,
Und oben flüstert's in den Bäumen:
Schläfst du? schläfst du, mein trautes Lieb? 
Der Mond scheint durch den grünen Wald.
 
Ein Aestlein wankt mit leisem Wiegen,
In dunkler Blätterheimlichkeit
Regt sich, ein Kosen, Schweben, Schmiegen: 
Dir treu, dir treu in Ewigkeit! 
Der Mond scheint durch den grünen Wald.

Nun wird es still in Luft und Zweigen,
Ein wonnig Athmen hebt die Brust,
Dich küßt die Nacht mit süßem Schweigen,
Ruh' aus, ruh' aus von Lieb' und Lust,
Der Mond scheint durch den grünen Wald.

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by Julius Wolff (1834 - 1910)
2.
Language: English 
Dew falls upon the grass, the flowers are dreaming
Of their colourful honey thief,
And above in the trees there is a whispering:
Are you sleeping? are you sleeping, my dear love?
The moon shines through the green woods.
 
A little branch sways in quiet rocking,
In the dark secretiveness of the leaves
There stirs a caressing, wafting, nestling:
Faithful to you, faithful to you for all eternity!
The moon shines through the green woods.
 
Now quiet falls in the air and the branches,
A blissful breath lifts the bosom,
Night kisses you with sweet silence,
Rest, rest, from love and passion,
The moon shines through the green woods.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2015 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.
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Translated titles:
"Der Mond scheint durch den grünen Wald" = "The moon shines through the green woods"
"Im Grase thaut's" = "Dew falls upon the grass"
"Im Grase thaut's, die Blumen träumen" = "Dew falls upon the grass, the flowers are dreaming"
"Frühlingsnacht" = "Spring night"


This text was added to the website: 2015-04-10
Line count: 15
Word count: 109

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
3. Wiegenlied  [sung text not yet checked]
by Alfred Kayl , "Wiegenlied", op. 1 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1894 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Grude
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Die Ähren nur noch nicken,
Das Haupt ist ihnen schwer;
Die müden Blumen blicken,
Nur schüchtern noch umher.

[Da]1 kommen Abendwinde,
[Still wie die]2 Engelein,
Und [wiegen]3 sanft und linde
Die Halm' und [Blumen]4 ein.

Und wie die Blumen blicken,
So schüchtern blickst du nun,
Und wie die Ähren nicken
Will auch dein Häuptlein ruh'n.

Und Abendklänge schwingen
[Still wie die]2 Engelein
Sich um die Wieg', und singen
Mein Kind in Schlummer ein.

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Confirmed with Kinderlieder von Hoffmann von Fallersleben. Erste vollständige Ausgabe besorgt durch Dr. Lionel von Donop, Zweite Auflage, Berlin, G. Grote'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1878, page 183.

Note: in many older editions, the spelling of the word "Ähren" becomes "Aehren", but as can be seen in how "über" becomes "Ueber" when capitalized, this is due to the printing process and not to rules of orthography, so we use "Ähren".

1 Decker: "Es"
2 Keller: "So still wie"
3 Decker (possibly an error): "neigen"
4 Kiel: "Büsche"

by August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben (1798 - 1874)
3. Lullaby
Language: English 
Only the ears of wheat still nod,
Their heads are heavy;
The tired flowers gaze
Only shyly about now.
 
[Then come evening breezes]1,
As silently as little angels,
And softly and gently [rock]2
The stalks and [flowers]3 to rest.
 
And as the flowers gaze about,
So shyly you too gaze now,
And as the ears of wheat are nodding
Your little head wishes to rest as well.
 
And the evening sounds come gliding
Quietly, like the little angels,
About your cradle, and sing
My child into slumber.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 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.
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Translated titles:
"Die Ähren nur noch nicken" = "Only the ears of wheat still nod"
"Schlummerlied" = "Slumber Song"
"Wiegenlied" = "Lullaby"
"Wiegenliedchen" = "Little lullaby"
"Wiegenlied im Sommer" = "Lullaby in summertime"

1 Decker: "The evening breezes come"
2 Decker (possibly an error): "incline"
3 Kiel: "bushes"


This text was added to the website: 2016-08-09
Line count: 16
Word count: 91

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
4. Morgenständchen  [sung text not yet checked]
by Alfred Kayl , "Morgenständchen", op. 1 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 4, published 1894 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Grude
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Steh' auf und öffne das Fenster schnell,
Es lacht der Morgen so frisch, so hell,
Und unten im kleinen Garten
Sind Leute, die Deiner warten.1

Die Veilchen kamen über Nacht,
Hoffärtig breit sich die Tulpe macht,
Und träumend auf und nieder
Schwankt schon der blaue Flieder.1

Die [Ärmsten]2 haben keine Ruh',
[An's Fenster blicken sie immerzu]3,
Sie glauben nicht an des Lenzes Wehen,
Bis sie die holde Rose gesehen.4

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Confirmed with Gedichte von Albert Traeger, Neunte vermehrte Auflage, Leipzig, Verlag von Ernst Keil, 1873, page 114.

Note: in many older editions, the spelling of the word "Ärmsten" becomes "Aermsten", but as can be seen in how "über" becomes "Ueber" when capitalized, this is due to the printing process and not to rules of orthography, so we use "Ärmsten".

1 Taubert adds "Steh' auf, steh' auf, steh' auf!"
2 Taubert: "Armen"
3 Taubert: "Sie blicken an's Fenster immerzu"
4 Taubert adds "Holde Rose, steh' auf, steh' auf!"

by Albert Träger (1830 - 1912)
4. Morning serenade
Language: English 
Arise and open your window quickly,
The morning is smiling so freshly, so brightly,
And down in the little garden
Are people who are waiting for you. 1

The violets came overnight,
Arrogantly the tulip spreads its petals,
And dreamily back and forth
The blue lilac is already swaying. 1

The poor things have no peace,
They gaze up to the window constantly,
They do not believe in the breezes of springtime
Until they have seen the lovely rose. 2

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: 

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Translations of titles:
"Am Morgen" = "In the morning"
"Holde Rose, steh' auf" = "Lovely rose, arise!"
"Morgenständchen" = "Morning serenade"

1 Taubert adds "Arise, arise, arise!"
2 Taubert adds "Lovely rose, arise, arise!"


This text was added to the website: 2013-09-01
Line count: 12
Word count: 80

Translation © by Sharon Krebs