English translations of 3 Chorgesänge, opus 48

by Josef Marzell Kromolicki (1882 - 1961)

1. Ballade  [sung text not yet checked]
by Josef Marzell Kromolicki (1882 - 1961), "Ballade", op. 48 no. 1, published 1938 [ men's chorus ]
    Score: IMSLP [external link]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Zwei Särge einsam stehen
In des alten Domes Hut,
König Ottmar liegt in dem [einen]1,
In dem andern der Sänger ruht.

Der König saß einst mächtig
Hoch auf der Väter Thron,
Ihm liegt das Schwert in der Rechten
Und auf dem [Haupte]2 die Kron'.

Doch neben dem stolzen König,
Da liegt der Sänger traut,
Man noch in seinen Händen
Die fromme Harfe schaut.

Die Burgen [rings]3 zerfallen,
Schlachtruf tönt durch das Land,
Das Schwert, [das]4 regt sich nimmer
[Da in des]5 Königs Hand.

Blüten und milde Lüfte
[Wehen]6 das Tal entlang -
Des Sängers Harfe tönet
In ewigem Gesang.

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See also König und Sänger set by H. G. Goetz.

1 Triest: "ersten"
2 Behm: "Haupt"
3 Isenmann: "sind"
4 Isenmann: "es"
5 Abt: "In des"; Isenmann: "Dort in des"; Triest: "In des alten"
6 Behm: "Weben"

by Justinus (Andreas Christian) Kerner (1786 - 1862)
1.
Language: English 
Two coffins stand alone
In the keep of the old cathedral,
King Ottmar lies in the one,
In the other the singer rests.

The king once sat in might
High upon the throne of his ancestors,
The sword lies in his right hand
And upon his head the crown.

But beside the proud monarch,
There lies the modest singer,
In his hands one can still see
The noble harp.

The castles round about are crumbling,
A battle-cry resounds through the land,
The sword, it never moves
There in the hand of the king.

Blossoms and mild breezes
Waft along the valley -
The singer's harp rings out
In eternal song.

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.
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This text was added to the website: 2013-09-30
Line count: 20
Word count: 117

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. Wiegenlied  [sung text not yet checked]
by Josef Marzell Kromolicki (1882 - 1961), "Wiegenlied", op. 48 no. 2, published 1938 [ women's chorus, piano ]
    Score: IMSLP [external link]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Singet leise, leise, leise,
singt eine flüsternd Wiegenlied;
von dem Monde lernt die Weise,
der so still am Himmel zieht.

Denn es schlummern in dem Rheine
Jetzt die lieben Kinder klein,
Ameleya wacht alleine
Weinend in dem Mondenschein.

Singt ein Lied so süß gelinde,
wie die Quelle auf den Kieseln,
wie die Bienen um die Linde
summen, murmeln, flüstern, rieseln.

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Confirmed with Die Märchen des Clemens Brentano, herausgegeben von Guido Görres, Zweite Auflage, Erster Band, Stuttgart: Verlag der J. G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung, 1879, page 231, under the title "Lureley" (three stanzas). Note: the first and last stanza of this poem are often anthologized under the title "Wiegenlied".


by Clemens Maria Wenzeslaus von Brentano (1778 - 1842)
2. Sing softly, softly, softly
Language: English 
Sing softly, softly, softly,
sing a whispered lullaby;
learn the melody from the moon,
which passes by so quietly in the heavens.

For in the Rhine now
the dear little children are sleeping;
only Amelya is awake,
weeping alone in the moonlight.

Sing a song as sweet and mild
as the spring upon the pebbles,
as the bees about the linden
hum, murmur, whisper, and trickle.

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: 12
Word count: 66

Translation © by Emily Ezust
3. Tanzlied  [sung text not yet checked]
by Josef Marzell Kromolicki (1882 - 1961), "Tanzlied", op. 48 no. 3, published 1938 [ mixed chorus ]
    Score: IMSLP [external link]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Es ist ein Reihen geschlungen,
Ein Reihen auf dem grünen Plan,
Und ist ein Lied gesungen,
Das hebt mit Sehnen an,
Mit Sehnen, also süße,
Daß Weinen sich mit Lachen paart:
Hebt, hebt im Tanz die Füße
Auf lenzeliche Art.

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by Otto Julius Bierbaum (1865 - 1910)
3. Dancing song
Language: English 
A roundelay is winding its course,
A roundelay on the green plain,
And a song is being sung,
A song that begins with longing,
With longing so sweet
That weeping is paired with laughter;
Lift, lift your feet in the dance
In a spring-like manner.

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: 

Based on:

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This text was added to the website: 2011-05-24
Line count: 8
Word count: 45

Translation © by Sharon Krebs