English translations of Sechs Lieder für Altstimme mit Begleitung des Pianoforte, opus 8
by Friedrich Theodor Fröhlich (1803 - 1836)
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Wie rafft' ich mich auf in der Nacht, in der Nacht, Und fühlte mich fürder gezogen, Die Gassen verließ ich vom Wächter bewacht, Durchwandelte sacht In der Nacht, in der Nacht, Das Tor mit dem gotischen Bogen. Der Mühlbach rauschte durch felsigen Schacht, Ich lehnte mich über die Brücke, Tief unter mir nahm ich der Wogen in Acht, Die wallten so sacht, In der Nacht, in der Nacht, Doch wallte nicht eine zurücke. Es drehte sich oben, unzählig entfacht, Melodischer Wandel der Sterne, Mit ihnen der Mond in beruhigter Pracht, Sie funkelten sacht In der Nacht, in der Nacht, Durch täuschend entlegene Ferne. Ich blickte hinauf in der Nacht, in der Nacht, [Und]1 blickte hinunter aufs neue: O wehe, wie hast du die Tage verbracht, Nun stille du sacht In der Nacht, in der Nacht, Im pochenden Herzen die Reue!
Text Authorship:
- by August von Platen-Hallermünde (1796 - 1835), no title, appears in Gedichte, in Romanzen und Jugendlieder, no. 34, first published 1820
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View original text (without footnotes)1 Wolfrum: "Ich"
Oh, how I roused myself in the night, in the night, And felt myself drawn farther; I left the alleys, guarded by the watchmen, And wandered through quietly, In the night, in the night, The gate with the gothic arch. The millbrook rushed through the rocky gorge, I leaned over the bridge, Observing far below me the waves, Which rolled so quietly, In the night, in the night, Yet never did one roll back. Overhead wanders the infinite, flickering, melodic traffic of the stars, With them, the moon in calm splendor; They gleam quietly In the night, in the night, At a deceptively remote distance. I gaze up into the night, in the night, And gaze down again anew: Alas, how have you spent the day! Now, softly you try to still, In the night, in the night, the remorse of your pounding heart!
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,
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by August von Platen-Hallermünde (1796 - 1835), no title, appears in Gedichte, in Romanzen und Jugendlieder, no. 34, first published 1820
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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 144
Süße Ahndungsschauer gleiten Ueber Fluß und Flur dahin, Mondesstrahlen hold bereiten Lager liebetrunknem Sinn. Ach, wie ziehn, wie flüstern die Wogen, Spiegelt in Wellen der Himmelsbogen. Liebe, dort im Firmamente, Unter uns in blanker Fluth, Zündet Sternglanz, keiner brennte, Gäbe Liebe nicht den Muth: Uns, von Himmelsothem gefächelt, Himmel und Wasser und Erde lächelt. Mondschein liegt auf allen Blumen, Alle Palmen schlummern schon, In der Waldung Heiligthumen Wallet, klingt der Liebe Ton: Schlafend verkündigen alle Töne, Palmen und Blumen der Liebe Schöne.
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Ludwig Tieck (1773 - 1853), "Nacht", appears in Gedichte über die Musik
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So singet und so springet, Ihr kleinen Waldvöglein: Ihr habt [eur]1 Lieb' gefunden, Ihr mögt wol fröhlich sein. Einsam in meiner Kammer Halt [ich]2 stille Wacht. Der Lenz ist gekommen, Mir hat er nichts gebracht. [Laß blühen]3 und verblühen Den [rothen Rosenhag]4! Was sollen mir alle Blumen, Die ich nicht brechen mag? Froh wär ich so gerne, Ich weine nach der Lust, [Mir]5 möchte zerspringen Das [Herz]6 in der Brust. Geschlagen ist mein Herze In eiserne Bande drei: Hätt ich ein Lieb gefunden, Sie brächen all entzwei.
Text Authorship:
- by Wilhelm Wackernagel (1806 - 1869), "Mägdleins Leid"
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View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Gedichte von Wilhelm Wackernagel, Basel: Schweighauserische Verlags-Buchhandlung (Benno Schwabe), 1873, page 25.
1 Lang: "euer"2 Lang: "ich wohl"
3 Lang: "So blüh'n"
4 Lang: "holden Frühlingstag"
5 Lang: "Es"
6 Lang: "Herz mir"
So sing and spring about, You little birds of the forest! You have found your love, You have reason to be happy. All alone in my chamber I hold a quiet wake. Spring has come; It has brought nothing for me. [Let bloom and fade]1 [The red rose arbour]2! Of what use to me are all of the flowers That I am not allowed to pick? I would so much like to be happy. I mourn for joy. The heart in my bosom Wishes to burst. My heart is shackled By three iron bands: If I had found a love, They would all burst asunder.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2011 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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Wilhelm Wackernagel (1806 - 1869), "Mägdleins Leid"
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View original text (without footnotes)Translated titles:
"Im Frühling" = "In the springtime"
"Mägdleins Leid" = "A young girl’s suffering"
1 Lang: "Thus bloom and fade [the flowers]"
2 Lang: "Throughout the lovely spring day "
This text was added to the website: 2006-11-21
Line count: 20
Word count: 107
Es fällt ein Stern herunter Aus seiner funkelnden Höh; Das ist der Stern der Liebe, Den ich dort fallen seh. Es fallen vom Apfelbaume, Der [weißen Blätter so viel]1, Es kommen die neckenden [Lüfte]2, Und treiben damit ihr Spiel. Es singt [der]3 Schwan im [Weiher]4, Und rudert auf und ab, Und immer leiser singend, Taucht er ins Flutengrab. Es ist so still und [dunkel]5! Verweht ist Blatt und Blüt', Der Stern ist knisternd zerstoben, Verklungen das Schwanenlied.
Text Authorship:
- by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Lyrisches Intermezzo, no. 59
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View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Heinrich Heine, Buch der Lieder, Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg, 1827, page 163.
1 Backer-Grøndahl, Haine: "Blüten und Blätter viel"; Cui, Gernsheim, Pfitzner: "Blüten und Blätter so viel"; Mangold: "weißen Blätter viel"; Unger: "Blätter und Blüten viel"2 Gernsheim: "Winde"
3 Unger: "ein"
4 Gernsheim: "Wasser"
5 Haine, Mangold: "so dunkel"
A star is tumbling downward From where it sparkled on high, It is the star for lovers, That falling there I spy. The apple tree has been shedding White petals abundantly Along come the breezes so teasing And toying with the debris. The swan sings in the water, And paddles o'er each wave, And singing ever softer, Dives to his watery grave. It is so dark and silent, Swept off are bloom and leaf, The star has fizzled and scattered; And faded, the swan's song, so brief.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 1996 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Lyrisches Intermezzo, no. 59
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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 87
Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt Weiß, was ich leide! Allein und abgetrennt Von aller Freude [Seh]1 ich an's Firmament Nach [jener]2 Seite. [Ach, der]3 mich liebt [und kennt]4, Ist in der Weite. Es [schwindelt]5 mir, es brennt Mein Eingeweide. Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt Weiß, was ich leide!
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Mignon", written 1785, appears in Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre, first published 1795
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View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Goethe's Werke. Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand. Zweyter Band. Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J.G.Cotta'schen Buchhandlung. 1827, page 118; and with Goethe's Werke. Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand. Neunzehnter Band. Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J.G.Cotta'schen Buchhandlung. 1828, page 67.
First published in Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre. Ein Roman. Herausgegeben von Goethe. Zweyter Band. Berlin. Bei Johann Friedrich Unger. 1795, pages 265-266. The poem appears in Book 4, Chapter 11 of Goethe's novel.
1 Schubert (D. 310, first version): "Blick"2 Lang: "jeder"
3 Goethe (only in the novel, not in editions of the poems): "Ach! der"; Zelter: "Ach, die"
4 omitted by Zeisl.
5 Goethe (only in editions of the novel later than 1815, not in editions of the poems): "schwindet"
Only one who knows longing Knows what I suffer! Alone and cut off From all joy, I look into the firmament In that direction. Ah! he who loves and knows me Is far away. I am reeling, My entrails are burning. Only one who knows longing Knows what I suffer!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Lawrence Snyder, (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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Mignon", written 1785, appears in Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre, first published 1795
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This text was added to the website: 2003-10-13
Line count: 12
Word count: 50
Was wecken aus dem Schlummer mich Für süße Klänge doch? O Mutter, sieh! wer mag es sein, [In]1 später Stunde noch? "Ich [höre nichts, ich sehe]2 nichts, O schlummre fort so lind! Man bringt dir keine Ständchen [jetzt]3, Du armes, krankes Kind!" [Es ist nicht irdische Musik, Was]4 mich so freudig macht; Mich rufen Engel mit Gesang, O Mutter, gute Nacht!
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Ludwig Uhland (1787 - 1862), "Das Ständchen", appears in Balladen und Romanzen, in Sterbeklänge, no. 1, first published 1815
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View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Uhlands Werke, Erster Teil, Gedichte, herausgegeben von Adalbert Silbermann, Berlin, Leipzig, Wien, Stuttgart: Deutsches Verlagshaus Bong & Co., [no year], page 141.
1 Randhartinger (song with string quartet): "In so"2 Hensel: "sehe nichts, ich höre"; Randhartinger (song with string quartet): "höre nichts, ich höre"
3 Lang: "mehr"
4 Mendel: "Nicht irdische Musik ist es/ Das"
What sweet sounds awaken me From my slumbers? Oh mother, go see! Who might it be At such a late hour yet? "I don't hear anything, I don't see anything, Oh, keep on slumbering so gently! No one is coming to serenade you [now]1, You poor sick child!" It is not earthly music That fills me with such joy. The angels are calling me with song; Oh mother, good night!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2021 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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Ludwig Uhland (1787 - 1862), "Das Ständchen", appears in Balladen und Romanzen, in Sterbeklänge, no. 1, first published 1815
Go to the general single-text view
View original text (without footnotes)Translated titles:
"Das Ständchen" = "The serenade"
"Ständchen" = "Serenade"
"Was wecken aus dem Schlummer mich" = "What awakens me from slumber"
This text was added to the website: 2006-12-13
Line count: 12
Word count: 72