English translations of Drei Gedichte, opus 40

by Richard Hol (1825 - 1904)

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1. Die Lotosblume  [sung text not yet checked]
by Richard Hol (1825 - 1904), "Die Lotosblume", op. 40 (Drei Gedichte) no. 1, published 18-? [ duet for soprano and alto with piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Die Lotosblume ängstigt
Sich vor der Sonne Pracht
Und mit gesenktem Haupte
Erwartet sie träumend die Nacht.

Der Mond, [der]1 ist ihr Buhle
Er weckt sie mit seinem Licht,
Und ihm entschleiert sie freundlich
Ihr [frommes]2 Blumengesicht,

Sie blüht und glüht und leuchtet
Und starret stumm in die Höh';
Sie duftet und weinet und zittert
Vor Liebe und Liebesweh.

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Confirmed with Heinrich Heine, Buch der Lieder, Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg, 1827, page 119.

1 Loewe: "das"
2 Franz: "holdes"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
1. The lotus flower
Language: English 
The lotus flower is anxious
In the Sun's radiance,
And with hanging head
Waits, dreaming, for Night.

The moon, who is her lover,
Awakens her with his light,
And for him she smilingly unveils
Her innocent flower-face.

She blooms and glows and gleams
And gazes silently upwards;
She sends forth fragrance, and weeps and trembles,
With love and love's torment.

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.
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Translation of title "Die Lotosblume" = "The lotus flower"


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 60

Translation © by Lawrence Snyder
2. Es fiel ein Reif  [sung text not yet checked]
by Richard Hol (1825 - 1904), "Es fiel ein Reif", op. 40 (Drei Gedichte) no. 2, published 18-? [ duet for soprano and alto with piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Es fiel ein Reif in der Frühlingsnacht,    
Es fiel auf die [zarten]1 Blaublümelein:
Sie sind verwelket, [verdorret]2.

Ein Jüngling hatte ein Mädchen lieb,
Sie flohen heimlich [von]3 Hause fort,
Es [wußt']4 weder Vater noch Mutter.

Sie sind gewandert hin und her,
Sie haben gehabt weder Glück noch Stern,
Sie sind [verdorben, gestorben]5.

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Confirmed with Neue Gedichte von Heinrich Heine, Zehnte Auflage, Hamburg, Hoffmann und Campe, 1871, page 151. Below the number at the top of the text are the following words: "(Dieses ist ein wirkliches Volkslied, welches ich am Rheine gehört.)" which can be translated "This is a real folksong that I heard on the Rhein". See also Backer-Grøndahl's song, which uses some of this text.

1 Hiller, Mendelssohn: "bunten"
2 Griffes, Walter, Stanford: "verdorrt"
3 Rubinstein: "vom"
4 Hermann, Hiller: "wusst's"
5 Hiller, Mendelssohn, C. Schumann: "gestorben, verdorben"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
2. There fell a frost on a night of Spring
Language: English 
There fell a frost on a night of Spring,
it fell on the delicate blossoms blue:
the blossoms withered, and drooped.

A young man once loved a maiden fair;
in secret they ran away from home,
unknown to their father or mother.

They wandered aimless here and there,
they had neither luck nor aiding star,
they met their ruin, they perished.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 1996 by David Kenneth Smith, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., please ask the copyright-holder(s) directly.

    David Kenneth Smith.  Contact: dksmith (AT) geneva.edu


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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 9
Word count: 61

Translation © by David Kenneth Smith