English translations of Duette für zwei Singstimmen mit Pianoforte, opus 2

by Hans Hermann (1870 - 1931)

1. Abendlied  [sung text not yet checked]
by Hans Hermann (1870 - 1931), "Abendlied", op. 2 (Duette für zwei Singstimmen mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1897 [ vocal duet with piano ], Magdeburg, Heinrichshofen Verlag, also set in English
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Die Nacht ist niedergangen,
Die schwarzen Schleier hangen
Nun über Busch und Haus.
Leis rauscht es in den Buchen,
Die letzten Winde suchen
Die vollsten Wipfel sich zum Neste aus.

Noch einmal leis ein Wehen,
Dann bleibt der Atem stehen
Der müden, müden Welt.
Nur noch ein zages Beben
Fühl durch die Nacht ich schweben,
Auf die der Friede seine Hände hält.

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by Otto Julius Bierbaum (1865 - 1910)
1. Evening song
Language: English 
Night has fallen,
The black veils hang
Now over bush and house.
There is a quiet murmuring in the beeches,
The last winds are choosing
The most luxuriant treetops for their nest.
 
Quietly once more a wafting,
Then the breath
Of the tired, tired world ceases.
Floating through the night I feel
Only a hesitant trembling still,
Upon which Peace lays its hands.

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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This text was added to the website: 2015-09-25
Line count: 12
Word count: 63

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. Evening song
by Hans Hermann (1870 - 1931), "Evening song", op. 2 (Duette für zwei Singstimmen mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1897 [ vocal duet with piano ], Magdeburg, Heinrichshofen Verlag, also set in German (Deutsch)
Language: English 
— This text is not currently
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as soon as we obtain it. —

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Singable translation by John Bernhoff (flourished 1890-1912)
3. Die Spröde  [sung text not yet checked]
by Hans Hermann (1870 - 1931), "Die Spröde", op. 2 (Duette für zwei Singstimmen mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1897 [ vocal duet with piano ], Magdeburg, Heinrichshofen Verlag, also set in English
Language: German (Deutsch) 
  An dem [reinsten]1 Frühlingsmorgen
Gieng die Schäferin und sang,
Jung und schön und ohne Sorgen,
Daß es durch die Felder [klang]2,
So la la! le ralla.
 
  Thyrsis bot ihr für ein Mäulchen
[Zwei,]3 drei Schäfchen gleich am Ort,
[Schalkhaft blickte sie]4 ein Weilchen;
Doch sie sang und lachte fort,
So la la! le ralla.
 
  Und ein Andrer bot ihr Bänder,
Und der Dritte bot sein Herz;
Doch sie trieb mit Herz und Bändern
So wie mit den Lämmern Scherz,
Nur la la! le ralla.

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Confirmed with Goethes Sämmtliche Werke: Vollständige Ausgabe in zehn Bänden, Erster Band, Stuttgart: Verlag der J.G. Cotta’schen Buchhandlung, 1875, pages 6-7. Note: modernized spelling would change "Gieng" to "Ging".

1 Cimarosa: "schönsten"
2 Cimarosa: "drang"
3 Cimarosa: "Da"
4 Cimarosa: "Sie besann sich nur"

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
3. The aloof [shepherdess]
Language: English 
  On the [purest]1 of spring mornings
The shepherdess walked along singing,
Young and beautiful and free of care,
[Singing] so that [it rang]2 through the fields,
So la la! le ralla.
 
  Thyrsis offered her for a little kiss
[Two,]3 three little sheep on the spot,
[She looked at him roguishly]4 for a little while;
But she continued to sing and laugh,
So la la! le ralla.
 
  And another chap offered her ribbons,
And a third one offered his heart;
But she made fun of heart and ribbons
As she had with the lambs,
Only la la! le ralla.

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 Spröde" = "The aloof [shepherdess]"
"An dem reinstem Frühlingsmorgen" = "On the purest of spring mornings"
"Die Spröde und die Bekehrte" = "The aloof and the repentant [shepherdess]"

1 Cimarosa: "most beautiful"
2 Cimarosa: "the song penetrated"
3 Cimarosa: "There"
4 Cimarosa: "She only thought about it"


This text was added to the website: 2016-03-30
Line count: 15
Word count: 103

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
4. The coy one
by Hans Hermann (1870 - 1931), "The coy one", op. 2 (Duette für zwei Singstimmen mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1897 [ vocal duet with piano ], Magdeburg, Heinrichshofen Verlag, also set in German (Deutsch)
Language: English 
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Singable translation by John Bernhoff (flourished 1890-1912)
5. Blätterfall
 (Sung text)
by Hans Hermann (1870 - 1931), "Blätterfall", op. 2 (Duette für zwei Singstimmen mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1897 [ vocal duet with piano ], Magdeburg, Heinrichshofen Verlag, also set in English
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Leise, windverwehte Lieder,
Mögt ihr fallen in den Sand!
Blätter seid ihr eines Baumes,
Welcher nie in Blüthe stand.

Welke, windverwehte Blätter,
Boten naher Winterruh',
Fallet sacht! . . . ihr deckt die Gräber
Mancher todten Hoffnung zu.

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by Heinrich Leuthold (1827 - 1879)
5. Fall of leaves
Language: English 
Quiet, windblown songs,
May you fall into the sand!
You are leaves of a tree
That never blossomed.
 
Withered, windblown leaves,
Messengers of the nearing winter-rest,
Fall gently! . . . you cover the graves
Of many a dead hope.

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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This text was added to the website: 2015-09-25
Line count: 8
Word count: 40

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
6. Autumn leaves  [sung text not yet checked]
by Hans Hermann (1870 - 1931), "Autumn leaves", op. 2 (Duette für zwei Singstimmen mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1897 [ vocal duet with piano ], Magdeburg, Heinrichshofen Verlag, also set in German (Deutsch)
Language: English 
Songs whose strains are long forgotten,
like the leaves of autumn, blown
from a tree whose barren branches
ne'er the buds of spring had known.

Faded, scatter'd leaves of autumn,
Heralds ye are of winterrest,
Fall ye softly! Falling o'er the graves of
cherish'd hopes long dead and past.

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Singable translation by John Bernhoff (flourished 1890-1912)
7. Die Wellen
 (Sung text)
by Hans Hermann (1870 - 1931), "Die Wellen", op. 2 (Duette für zwei Singstimmen mit Pianoforte) no. 4, published 1897 [ vocal duet with piano ], Magdeburg, Heinrichshofen Verlag, also set in English
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wer will uns binden,
Ketten erfinden,
die uns die hellen
munteren Wellen
fesseln an's Land?
Felsen und Steine
halten uns keine;
jene umhüpfen,
diese umschlüpfen
all' wir gewand.

Nächtliche Weile
hemmt nicht die Eile,
noch auch vermag es
Hitze des Tages,
Schlaf ist uns fremd.
Aber nur Einen
fürchten wir kleinen,
munteren Wellen,
einen Gesellen,
welcher uns hemmt.

Winter, der arge,
wandelt zum Sarge
unsere Betten,
schlägt uns in Ketten,
bannt unsern Fuss!
Bis dann gelinde
westliche Winde
Freiheit uns bringen
Und Frühlingsgruss!

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Note: the score says only "Georg Lang"

possibly by Georg Ludwig Heinrich Lang (1836 - 1920)
7.
[Translation not yet available]
8. The waves
 (Sung text)
by Hans Hermann (1870 - 1931), "The waves", op. 2 (Duette für zwei Singstimmen mit Pianoforte) no. 4, published 1897 [ vocal duet with piano ], Magdeburg, Heinrichshofen Verlag, also set in German (Deutsch)
Language: English 
Who shall detain us;
who shall enchain us,
waves of the ocean,
ever in motion,
born to be free?
Rock, cave nor boulders,
nothing can hold us;
once we have found them
dancing around them,
shouting with glee.

Darkness we heed not,
sunlight we need not;
nor can the heat of day
make us retreat or stay,
we know no sleep.
One we dread sore,
none do we fear more,
one whom we must obey,
one who has pow'r to stay
waves of the deep.

Winter with cruel hands
locks us in icy bands.
Stays us with freezing breath
not e'en the hand of Death
firmer doth cling!
Till westwinds blow
melt away ice and snow,
sweet songs they sing us,
freedom they bring us
and greetings of spring.

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Singable translation by John Bernhoff (flourished 1890-1912)