English translations of Sechs Lieder, opus 19

by Paul Weiss (1898 - 1967 )

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1. Die Beiden  [sung text not yet checked]
by Paul Weiss (1898 - 1967 ), "Die Beiden", op. 19 (Sechs Lieder) no. 4, published 1929 [ voice and piano ], Wien, Leipzig : Leo Tublin
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Sie trug den Becher in der Hand
-- Ihr Kinn und Mund glich seinem Rand --
So leicht und sicher war ihr Gang,
Kein Tropfen aus dem Becher sprang.

So leicht und fest war seine Hand:
Er ritt auf einem jungen Pferde
Und mit nachlässiger Gebärde
Erzwang er, daß es zitternd stand.

Jedoch wenn er aus ihrer Hand 
Den leichten Becher nehmen sollte,
So war es beiden [allzu]1 schwer:
Denn beide bebten sie so sehr,
Daß keine Hand die andre fand,
Und dunkler Wein am Boden rollte.

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Confirmed with Deutsche Lyrik seit Liliencron, herausgegeben von Hans Bethge, Leipzig: Hesse & Becker Verlag, 1921, pp. 119-120.

1 Schoenberg, Zemlinsky: "gar zu"

by Hugo Hofmann, Edler von Hofmannsthal (1874 - 1929)
1. The Two
Language: English 
She carried the tumbler in her hand
(her chin and mouth were level w/ its rim)
Her pace was so light and certain
That not a single drop leapt from the tumbler.

His hand was so easy and firm;
He was riding a young horse,
And with a casual motion
Compelled it to stand still while trembling.

Yet when from her hand
He was supposed to take the light tumbler
It was too heavy for both of them.
For both were shaking so hard
That neither hand found the other
And dark wine rolled on the ground.

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  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2005 by Walter Meyer, (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: 2010-01-29
Line count: 14
Word count: 97

Translation © by Walter Meyer