English translations of Sieben Lieder, opus 4

by Willy Burkhard (1900 - 1955)

1. Ein fröhliches Osterlied
 (Sung text)
by Willy Burkhard (1900 - 1955), "Ein fröhliches Osterlied", op. 4 (Sieben Lieder) no. 1
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Die ganze Welt, Herr Jesu Christ,
Zu deiner Urständ fröhlich ist.
Das himmlisch Heer im Himmel singt,
Die Christenheit auf Erden klingt.

Jetzt grünet, was nur grünen kann,
Die Bäum zu blühen fangen an.
Es singen jetzt die Vögel all,
Es singt und klingt die Nachtigall.

Der Sonnenschein jetzt kommt herein
Und gibt der Welt ein warmen Schein.
Die ganze Welt, Herr Jesu Christ,
Zu deiner Urständ fröhlich ist.

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author ( 17th century )

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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
1.
[Translation not yet available]
2. Im Frühling  [sung text not yet checked]
by Willy Burkhard (1900 - 1955), "Im Frühling", op. 4 (Sieben Lieder) no. 2
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Hier lieg' ich auf dem Frühlingshügel:
Die Wolke wird mein Flügel,
Ein Vogel fliegt mir voraus.
Ach, sag' mir, all-einzige Liebe,
Wo du bleibst, daß ich bei dir bliebe,
Doch du und die Lüfte, ihr habt kein Haus.

Der Sonnenblume gleich steht mein Gemüte offen,
Sehnend,
Sich dehnend,
In Lieben und Hoffen.
Frühling, was bist du gewillt?
Wann werd' ich gestillt?

Die Wolke seh' ich wandeln und den Fluß,
Es dringt der Sonne goldner Kuß
Mir tief bis in's Geblüt hinein;
Die Augen, wunderbar berauschet,
Thun, als schliefen sie ein,
Nur noch das Ohr dem Ton der Biene lauschet.
Ich denke Dieß und denke Das,
Ich sehne mich, und weiß nicht recht, nach was:
Halb ist es Lust, halb ist es Klage;
Mein Herz, o sage:
Was webst du für Erinnerung
In golden grüner Zweige Dämmerung?
-- Alte unnennbare Tage!

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Confirmed with Gedichte von Eduard Mörike, Sechste Auflage, Stuttgart, G. J. Göschen'sche Verlagshandlung, 1876, page 41.


by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875)
2. In springtime
Language: English 
Here I lie upon the hillside in springtime:
The cloud becomes my wing,
A bird flies before me.
Ah, tell me, utterly singular love,
Where you dwell, so that I might stay with you!
But you and the breezes, you have no abode.
 
Like the sunflower, my spirit stands open,
Yearning,
Stretching itself
In loving and hoping.
Spring, what are you disposed to do?
When shall [my yearning] be assuaged?
 
I see the clouds wandering and the river,
The sun’s golden kiss penetrates
Deeply, all the way to my flowing blood;
The eyes, wondrously intoxicated,
Act as if they were falling asleep,
Only the ear still listens to the sound of the bee.
I ponder this and ponder that,
I am yearning, but I do not really know for what:
It is half rapture, half lamenting;
My heart, oh tell,
What sort of memories are you weaving
In the golden-green gloaming of the branches?
-- Ancient, inexpressible days!

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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This text was added to the website: 2016-02-25
Line count: 25
Word count: 157

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
3. Sommerbild  [sung text not yet checked]
by Willy Burkhard (1900 - 1955), "Sommerbild", op. 4 (Sieben Lieder) no. 3
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ich sah des Sommers letzte Rose [stehn]1,
  Sie war, als ob sie bluten könne, rot;
Da sprach ich [schauernd]2 im Vorübergehn:
  So weit im Leben, ist zu nah am Tod!

Es regte sich kein Hauch am heißen Tag,
  Nur leise strich ein weisser Schmetterling;
Doch ob auch kaum die Luft sein Flügelschlag
  Bewegte, sie empfand es und verging.

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Confirmed with Gedichte von Friedrich Hebbel. Gesammt-Ausgabe stark vermehrt und verbessert, Stuttgart und Augsburg, J. G. Cotta'scher Verlag, 1857, page 163.

1 Hindemith: "blühn"
2 Hindemith: "schaudernd"

by (Christian) Friedrich Hebbel (1813 - 1863)
3. Summer image
Language: English 
I saw the Summer's last rose [standing]1;
it was red, as if it could bleed;
then, [shivering]2, I spoke in passing:
"To be so far in life is to be too near to death!"

Not one breeze stirred on that hot day;
only a white butterfly withdrew gently;
yet even though the beating of its wings hardly 
affected the air, the rose felt it and expired.

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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1 for the Hindemith version, "blooming"
2 for the Hindemith version, "shuddering"


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 69

Translation © by Emily Ezust
4. Herbst
by Willy Burkhard (1900 - 1955), "Herbst", op. 4 (Sieben Lieder) no. 4
Language: German (Deutsch) 
— This text is not currently
in the database but will be added
as soon as we obtain it. —

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This text may be copyright, so we will not display it until we obtain permission to do so or discover it is public-domain.
© by Ernst Balzli (1902 - 1959)
4.
[Translation not yet available]
5. Winternacht  [sung text not yet checked]
by Willy Burkhard (1900 - 1955), "Winternacht", op. 4 (Sieben Lieder) no. 5
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Nicht ein Flügelschlag ging durch die Welt,
Still und blendend lag der weiße Schnee.
Nicht ein Wölklein hing am Sternenzelt,
Keine Welle schlug im starren See.

Aus der Tiefe stieg der Seebaum auf,
Bis sein Wipfel in dem Eis gefror;
An den Ästen klomm die Nix' herauf,
Schaute durch das grüne Eis empor.

Auf dem dünnen Glase stand ich da,
Das die schwarze Tiefe vor mir schied;
Dicht ich unter meinen Füßen sah
Ihre weiße Schönheit, Glied um Glied.

Mit ersticktem Jammer tastet' sie
An der harten Decke her und hin,
Ich vergeß' das dunkle Antlitz nie,
Immer, immer liegt es mir im Sinn.

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by Gottfried Keller (1819 - 1890)
5. Winter night
Language: English 
 Not a wingbeat went through the world;
 silent and brilliant lay the white snow.
 Not a puff of cloud hung in the starry canopy,
 not one wave surged in the torpid lake.
 
 From the depths climbed a lake-tree,
 encased in ice up to its top;
 upon its branches climbed the water nymph,
 gazing up through the green ice.
 
 There I stood upon the thin glass
 that separated me from the black depths;
 Close beneath my feet I saw
 her white beauty, limb upon limb.
 
 With smothered sorrow she groped
 here and there on the hard barrier.
 I will never forget her dark expression;
 always, always, it will remain in my mind!

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: 112

Translation © by Emily Ezust
6. Winterreise  [sung text not yet checked]
by Willy Burkhard (1900 - 1955), "Winterreise", op. 4 (Sieben Lieder) no. 6
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Bei diesem kalten Wehen 
Sind alle Strassen leer,
Die Wasser stille stehen; 
Ich aber [schweif umher]1,

Die Sonne scheint so trübe, 
Muss früh hinuntergehn,
Erloschen ist die Liebe,
Die Lust kann [nicht]2 bestehn.

[ Nun geht der Wald zu Ende,
Im Dorfe mach ich halt,
Da wärm ich meine Hände,]3
Bleibt auch das Herze kalt.

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1 R. Strauss: "schweif' einher"
2 R. Strauss: "nie"
3 R. Strauss: "Nun ist der Wald zu Ende, / Am Dorfe mach' ich Halt, / Und wärm' mir meine Hände"

by Johann Ludwig Uhland (1787 - 1862)
6. Winter journey
Language: English 
When the wind blows this coldly
All the streets are empty,
The waters stand still;
But I rove about,

The sun shines so blearily,
Early it must sink,
Love has been extinguished,
Joy [cannot]1 persist.

Now the forest [almost]2 lies behind me,
I stop in the village,
[There]3 I warm my hands,
Even though my heart remains cold.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2014 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:
"Winterreise" = "Winter journey"
"Die Winterreise" = "The winter journey"
"Bei diesem kalten Wehen" = "When the wind blows this coldly"
"Wanderlied im Winter" = "Winter wandering song"
"Das verwaiste Kind" = "The orphaned child"

1 R. Strauss: "can never"
2 omitted by R. Strauss
3 R. Strauss: "And"


This text was added to the website: 2014-03-25
Line count: 12
Word count: 61

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
7. Er ist's  [sung text not yet checked]
by Willy Burkhard (1900 - 1955), "Er ist's", op. 4 (Sieben Lieder) no. 7 (1922/4)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
[Frühling]1 läßt sein blaues Band
Wieder flattern durch die Lüfte;
Süße, wohlbekannte Düfte
Streifen ahnungsvoll das Land.
Veilchen träumen schon,
Wollen balde kommen.
-- Horch, [von fern ein leiser]2 Harfenton!
Frühling, ja du bist's!
Dich hab' ich vernommen!

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Confirmed with Eduard Mörike, Gedichte, Dramatisches, Erzählendes, Zweite, erweiterte Auflage, Stuttgart: J.G. Cotta'sche Buchhandlung Nachf., 1961, page 42.

1 Eitner: "Der Frühling"; further changes may exist not shown above.
2 Louis Ferdinand: "von fern her leiser"; Schumann: "ein"

by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875)
7.
Language: English 
Spring lets its blue ribbon
flutter again in the breeze;
a sweet, familiar scent
sweeps with promise through the land.
Violets are already dreaming,
and will soon arrive.
Hark! In the distance - a soft harp tone!
Spring, yes it is you!
It is you that I have heard!

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:

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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 9
Word count: 48

Translation © by Emily Ezust