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English translations of 5 Gesänge, opus 5

by Otto Martin (1887 - 1967)

1. Wanderer  [sung text not yet checked]
by Otto Martin (1887 - 1967), "Wanderer", op. 5 (5 Gesänge) no. 1, published 1916 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig: Tischer & Jagenberg
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Die Straßen, die ich gehe,
So oft ich um mich sehe,
Sie bleiben fremd doch mir.
[Herberg']1, wo ich möcht' weilen,
Ich kann sie nicht ereilen,
[Weit, weit]2 ist sie von hier.

So fremd mir anzuschauen
Sind diese Städt' und Auen,
Die Burgen stumm und tot!
Doch fern Gebirge ragen,
Die meine Heimat tragen,
Ein ewig Morgenrot.

Text Authorship:

  • by Justinus (Andreas Christian) Kerner (1786 - 1862), "Wanderer", appears in Gedichte, in Die lyrischen Gedichte, first published 1813

See other settings of this text.

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Justinus Kerners sämtliche poetische Werke in vier Bänden, herausgegeben von Dr. Josef Gaismaier, 1. Band, Leipzig: Max Hesses Verlag, 1880, page 78.

Note: also published without a title in chapter 14 of Die Heimatlosen

1 Leberl: "Die Herberg"
2 Leberl: "weit"

by Justinus (Andreas Christian) Kerner (1786 - 1862)
1. The roadways which I wander
Language: English 
The roadways which I wander -
so oft I look around me -
still strange they seem to me.
Lodging, where I would shelter,
I can not quite arrive there,
far, far it is from here.

So alien they seem to me
these cities and these meadows,
 the castles mute and dead;
yet far the mountains tower
where lies my native homeland,
an endless rising sun.

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


    If the copyright-holder(s) are unreachable for three business days, please write to: licenses@email.lieder.example.net


Based on:

  • a text in German (Deutsch) by Justinus (Andreas Christian) Kerner (1786 - 1862), "Wanderer", appears in Gedichte, in Die lyrischen Gedichte, first published 1813
    • Go to the text page.

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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 64

Translation © by David Kenneth Smith
2. Winternacht  [sung text not yet checked]
by Otto Martin (1887 - 1967), "Winternacht", op. 5 (5 Gesänge) no. 2, published 1916 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig: Tischer & Jagenberg
Language: German (Deutsch) 
I
Vor Kälte ist die Luft erstarrt,
Es kracht der Schnee von meinen Tritten,
Es dampft mein Hauch, es klirrt mein Bart;
Nur fort, nur immerfort geschritten!

Wie feierlich die Gegend schweigt!
Der Mond bescheint die alten Fichten, 
Die, sehnsuchtsvoll zum Tod geneigt,
Den Zweig zurück zur Erde richten.

Frost! Friere mir ins Herz hinein,
Tief in das heiß bewegte, wilde!
Daß einmal Ruh mag drinnen sein,
Wie hier im nächtlichen Gefilde.

II
Dort [heult]1 im tiefen Waldesraum
Ein Wolf; -- wie's Kind aufweckt die Mutter,
Schreit er die Nacht aus ihrem Traum
Und heischt von ihr sein blutig Futter.

Nun brausen über Schnee und Eis
Die Winde fort mit tollem Jagen,
Als wollten sie sich rennen heiß:
Wach auf, o Herz, zu wildem Klagen!

Laß deine Toten auferstehn
Und deiner Qualen dunkle Horden!
Und laß sie mit den Stürmen gehn,
Dem rauhen Spielgesind aus Norden!

Text Authorship:

  • by Nikolaus Lenau (1802 - 1850), "Winternacht", appears in Gedichte, in 1. Erstes Buch, in Sehnsucht

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View original text (without footnotes)
1 Widemann: "weilt"; further changes may exist not shown above.

by Nikolaus Lenau (1802 - 1850)
2.
Language: English 
I
The air is congealed with cold,
The snow crunches beneath my feet,
My breath in clouds, my beard a-rattle,
Onward, always trudging onward!

How profoundly silent is this realm!
The moon illumines ancient spruce,
Which nod longingly toward death,
Pointing branches down toward the earth.

Frost! Freeze within my heart,
Deeply, into the hot, churning wildness!
That it might be tranquil inside once more,
As here in these fields of night.

II
There, howling in its domain of deep forest,
A wolf, like a child waking its mother,
Bawls Night out of her dreaming
And begs from her his due of bloody plunder.

Now roaring across the snow and ice,
The wind lunges in frantic pursuit,
As if relishing its fevered race:
Waken, oh heart, to the wild lament!

Let your dead rise to life again
And the dark army of your torments!
And let them venture forth with the storms,
The raucous rabble from the North!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2022 by Michael P Rosewall, (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 Nikolaus Lenau (1802 - 1850), "Winternacht", appears in Gedichte, in 1. Erstes Buch, in Sehnsucht
    • Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2022-07-01
Line count: 26
Word count: 158

Translation © by Michael P Rosewall
3. Schifferliedchen  [sung text not yet checked]
by Otto Martin (1887 - 1967), "Schifferliedchen", op. 5 (5 Gesänge) no. 3, published 1916 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig: Tischer & Jagenberg
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Schon hat die Nacht den [Silberschrein]1
Des Himmels [aufgetan]2;
Nun spült der See den [Widerschein]3
Zu dir, zu dir hinan!

Und in dem Glanze schaukelt sich
Ein leichter dunkler Kahn;
Der aber trägt und schaukelt mich
Zu dir, zu dir hinan!

Ich höre schon den Brunnen gehn
Dem Pförtlein nebenan,
Und dieses hat ein gütig Wehn
Von Osten aufgetan.

Das Sternlein schießt, vom Baume fällt
Das Blust in meinen Kahn;
Nach Liebe dürstet alle Welt,
Nun, Schifflein, leg' dich an!

Text Authorship:

  • by Gottfried Keller (1819 - 1890), "Schifferliedchen", appears in Gesammelte Gedichte, in Buch der Natur, in Drei Ständchen, no. 3

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View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Gesammelte Gedichte von Gottfried Keller , Berlin: Verlag von Wilhelm Hertz (Bessersche Buchhandlung), 1884, page 13.

1 Sinding: "Silberschein"
2 Herzogenberg: "aufgemacht"; further changes may exist not noted above.
3 Schoeck, Sinding: "Wiederschein"

by Gottfried Keller (1819 - 1890)
3. Sailor's song
Language: English 
Night has already opened
The silver [shrine]1 of heaven,
Now the lake swirls the reflection
Toward you, up to you!

And in the radiance, there rocks
A light, dark-coloured barque;
It, in turn, bears and rocks me 
Toward you, up to you!

I already hear the water-well rippling
Beside the little gate,
And a beneficent breeze from the east
Has opened the little gate.

The little star is shooting, from the tree
Blossoms fall into my barque;
All the world is thirsting for love,
Now, my little barque, come to your berth!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2024 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 Gottfried Keller (1819 - 1890), "Schifferliedchen", appears in Gesammelte Gedichte, in Buch der Natur, in Drei Ständchen, no. 3
    • Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view

View original text (without footnotes)

Translations of title(s):
"Gondellied" = "Gondola song"
"Schifferlied" = "Sailor's song"
"Schifferliedchen" = "Sailor's song"
"Schifferliedchen (Ständchen)" = "Sailor's song (serenade)"
"Schifferständchen" = "Sailor's serenade"
"Ständchen" = "Serenade"

1 Sinding: "radiance"


This text was added to the website: 2024-05-28
Line count: 16
Word count: 93

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
4. Die Botschaft  [sung text not yet checked]
by Otto Martin (1887 - 1967), "Die Botschaft", op. 5 (5 Gesänge) no. 4, published 1916 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig: Tischer & Jagenberg
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Mein Knecht! steh auf und sattle schnell,
Und wirf dich auf dein Roß,
Und jage rasch durch Wald und Feld
Nach König Duncans Schloß.

Dort schleiche in den Stall, und wart,
Bis dich der Stallbub schaut.
Den forsch mir aus: "Sprich, welche ist
Von Duncans Töchtern Braut?"

Und spricht der Bub: "Die Braune ist's",
So bring mir schnell die Mär.
Doch spricht der Bub: "Die Blonde ist's",
So eilt das nicht so sehr.

Dann geh zum Meister Seiler hin,
Und kauf mir einen Strick,
Und reite langsam, sprich kein Wort,
Und bring mir den zurück.

Text Authorship:

  • by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), "Die Botschaft", appears in Buch der Lieder, in Junge Leiden, in Romanzen, no. 7

See other settings of this text.

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
4. The message
Language: English 
 My squire! wake up and quickly get your saddle,
 and leap upon your steed;
 and race swiftly through the woods and fields
 to King Duncan's castle.
 
 There, creep into the stable and wait
 until you see the stable boy.
 Ask him for me: "Tell me, which one
 of Duncan's daughters is the bride?"
 
 And if the boy says: "The brown-haired one",
 then bring me the news quickly.
 But if the boy says, "The blonde-haired one",
 you do not need to hurry so much.
 
 Go then to the Master Rigger
 and buy me a rope.
 Ride slowly, say not a word,
 and bring it back to me.

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.
    licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

  • a text in German (Deutsch) by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), "Die Botschaft", appears in Buch der Lieder, in Junge Leiden, in Romanzen, no. 7
    • Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 107

Translation © by Emily Ezust
5. Maikaterlied  [sung text not yet checked]
by Otto Martin (1887 - 1967), "Maikaterlied", op. 5 (5 Gesänge) no. 5, published 1916 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig: Tischer & Jagenberg
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Maikater singt die ganze Nacht:
Der Frühling ist erwacht, erwacht,
Der Frühling ist erwacht!

Gleich einem Reis trägt er den Schwanz;
Wärn Blätter dran, so wärs ein Kranz;
Er flötet:

Oh holde Mimamausamei,
Wer dich zu lieben wagt, der sei
Getötet!

Ich ganz alli-alla-allein,
Nur ich darf dein Geschpusi sein,
Bis daß es morgenrötet.

Im Mai sind alle Blätter grün,
Im Mai sind alle Kater kühn
Und alle Jüngelinge.

Und wer ein Herz hat, faßt sich eins,
Und wer sich keins faßt, hat auch keins;
Singe mein Kater, singe!

Text Authorship:

  • by Otto Julius Bierbaum (1865 - 1910), "Maikaterlied", appears in Irrgarten der Liebe. Verliebte, launenhafte und moralische Lieder, Gedichte und Sprüche aus den Jahren 1885 bis 1900, in Lieder

See other settings of this text.

Note: several editions have a typo in stanza 6, line 2, word 2 ("wär" instead of the correct "wer").


by Otto Julius Bierbaum (1865 - 1910)
5.
[Translation not yet available]
Gentle Reminder

This website began in 1995 as a personal project by Emily Ezust, who has been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your help is greatly appreciated!
–Emily Ezust, Founder

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