English translations of Sechs Gesänge, opus 19

by Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847)

1. Frühlingslied
 (Sung text)
by Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847), "Frühlingslied", op. 19 (Sechs Gesänge) no. 1, MWV K 56, lines 1-8 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel
Language: German (Deutsch) 
In dem Walde süße Töne
Singen kleine Vögelein;
Auf der Aue, Blumen schöne
Blühen gen des Maien Schein.
Also blüht mein hoher Muth,
Im Gedanken ihrer Güte,
Die mir reich macht mein Gemüthe
Wie der Traum dem Armen thut.
 ...

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Confirmed with Altdeutsches Lesebuch in neudeutscher Sprache, von Karl Simrock, Stuttgart und Tübingen: J. G. Cotta'scher Verlag, 1854, page 219; and with Lesebuch zur Geschichte der deutschen Literatur alter und neuer Zeit, ed. Georg Weber, Dritte veränderter und erweiterte Auflage, Leipzig: Verlag von Wilhelm Engelmann, 1870, pages 60-61.

by Karl Joseph Simrock (1802 - 1876)
1. Spring song
Language: English 
In the forest little birds
Are singing sweet sounds;
[Along the heath are blooming
Beautiful flowers in]1 the May [sun]shine.
Thus blooms my valiant courage,
[When it thinks]2 of her goodness,
Which enriches my spirit
As [dreams do for poor men.]3
[ ... ]

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2019 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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Translation of titles:
"Frühlingslied" = "Spring song"
"Altdeutsches Minnelied" = "Old German love song"
1 Mendelssohn: "Upon the meadow beautiful flowers / Are blooming toward"
2 Mendelssohn: "At the thought of"
3 Mendelssohn: "a dream does for the poor man."


This text was added to the website: 2013-09-01
Line count: 16
Word count: 93

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. Das erste Veilchen
 (Sung text)
by Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847), "Das erste Veilchen", op. 19 (Sechs Gesänge) no. 2
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Als ich das erste Veilchen erblickt,
Wie war ich von Farben und Duft entzückt!
Die Botin des Lenzes drückt' ich voll Lust
An meine schwellende, hoffende Brust.

Der Lenz ist vorüber, das Veilchen ist tot;
Rings steh'n viel Blumen blau und rot,
Ich stehe inmitten, und sehe sie kaum,
Das Veilchen erscheint mir im Frühlingstraum.

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by Karl Egon Ebert (1801 - 1882)
2. The first violet
Language: English 
 When I caught sight of the first violet,
 how delighted was I at its colours and fragrance!
 It was Spring's herald that I enthusiastically clasped
 to my swelling, hoping breast.

 Springtime is over, the violet is dead;
 there are many flowers, blue and red, around me,
 I stand amongst them and hardly notice them,
 it's the violet that appears in my springdream.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2005 by Bertram Kottmann, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.

    Bertram Kottmann.  Contact: BKottmann (AT) t-online.de

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This text was added to the website: 2005-01-06
Line count: 8
Word count: 63

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann
3. Winterlied
 (Sung text)
by Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847), "Winterlied", op. 19 (Sechs Gesänge) no. 3
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Mein Sohn, wo willst du hin so spät? 
Geh' nicht zum Wald hinaus,
Die Schwester find'st du nimmermehr, 
O bleib' bei mir im Haus!

Da draußen ist's so kalt, so rauh, 
Und heftig weht der Wind;
Bist ganz allein im weiten Wald, 
O bleib' bei mir, mein Kind!

O Mutter, Mutter, laß mich zieh'n, 
Trockne die Trän' im Blick,
Die Schwester find' ich ganz gewiß 
Und bring' sie uns zurück.

Bis ich sie find', ist doch kein' Rast, 
Ist doch kein' Ruhe hier;
Den Schnee und Wind bin ich gewohnt, 
Bald kehr' ich heim zu dir.

Die Mutter sah ihm lange nach, 
Er ging zum Wald hinaus;
Der Wind ward still, die Nacht verging, 
Doch er kehrt' nicht zum Haus.

Und der Schnee zerschmolz, der Wind verweht', 
Kam wieder Sonnenschein
Und Blüt' und Blätter überall: 
Die Mutter blieb allein.

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from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
3. Winter song
Language: English 
My son, where do you want to go so late?
Don’t go into the forest,
You’ll never find your sister, 
O stay with me at home!

Outside it’s so cold, so raw, 
And the wind blows fiercely;
You’ll be all alone in the wide forest, 
O stay with me, my child!

O Mother, Mother, let me go, 
Dry the tears in your eyes,
I will certainly find [my] sister
And bring her back to us.

Until I find her, I’ll have no peace, 
And certainly no rest;
I’m used to snow and wind, 
I’ll come back to you soon.

The mother watched him for a long time, 
He went out into the forest;
The wind became still, the night passed, 
but he still didn’t return home2.

[And the]1 snow melted, the wind vanished, 
Sunshine came back
Along with all the blossoms and leaves: 
The mother was left alone.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2015 by Laura Prichard, (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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1 Reger: "The"


This text was added to the website: 2015-09-29
Line count: 24
Word count: 149

Translation © by Laura Prichard
4. Neue Liebe
 (Sung text)
by Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847), "Neue Liebe", op. 19 (Sechs Gesänge) no. 4, published 1834
Language: German (Deutsch) 
In dem Mondenschein im Wald,
Sah ich jüngst die Elfen reiten;
Ihre Hörner hört' ich klingen,
Ihre Glöcklein hört' ich läuten.
 
Ihre weißen Rößlein trugen
Goldnes Hirschgeweih und flogen
Rasch dahin, wie wilde Schwäne
Kam es durch die Luft gezogen.
 
Lächelnd nickte mir die Kön'gin,
Lächelnd, im Vorüberreiten.
Galt das meiner neuen Liebe,
Oder soll es Tod bedeuten?

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by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
4. New love
Language: English 
In the moonlit forest
I watched the elves a-riding,
I heard their horns sound
I heard their bells ring.

Their white horses, with 
golden antlers, flew on
swiftly, like white swans
Travelling through the air.

The queen nodded at me and smiled,
smiled, as she rode overhead;
Was it because of my new love?
Or does it mean death?

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Marty Lucas, (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 between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 59

Translation © by Marty Lucas
5. Gruß  [sung text not yet checked]
by Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847), "Gruß", op. 19 (Sechs Gesänge) no. 5, published 1834
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Leise [zieht]1 durch mein Gemüth
Liebliches Geläute.
Klinge, kleines Frühlingslied,
Kling' hinaus in's Weite.

[Kling']2 hinaus bis an das Haus,
Wo die [Blumen]3 sprießen.
Wenn du eine Rose schaust,
Sag' ich lass' sie grüßen.

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Confirmed with Neue Gedichte von Heinrich Heine, Zehnte Auflage, Hamburg, Hoffmann und Campe, 1871, page 10.

Note: modern German would change the spelling "Gemüth" to "Gemüt"

1 Quiteria: "klingt"; further changes may exist not shown above.
2 Grieg: "Zieh"
3 Gade, Grieg, Urspruch, Zenger: "Veilchen"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
5. Sweet chimes are softly filling my soul
Language: English 
Sweet chimes are softly
filling my soul;
Ring, little springtime-song
Ring out: far and wide.

Go forward till you reach the house,
where the violets bloom;
And if you see a rose,
give her my greetings.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Marty Lucas, (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 between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 36

Translation © by Marty Lucas
6. Reiselied
 (Sung text)
by Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847), "Reiselied", op. 19 (Sechs Gesänge) no. 6
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Bringet des treu'sten Herzens Grüße,
Eilende Wellen, zu ihr hin.
Sagt, wie ich jedes Glück vermisse,
Seit ich von ihr geschieden bin.

Hier empfind' ich alle Schmerzen,
Dort vergaß ich jedes Leid,
Aug' in Auge, Herz an Herzen, 
Ach, es war wohl schöne Zeit!

Sieh', der Wind zieht ihr entgegen,
Ihr entgegen eilt der Bach,
Alles will zu ihr sich bewegen,
Wolken und Blätter zieh'n ihr nach.

Ich allein muß vorwärts ziehen,
Ich darf wenden nicht den Blick,
Aber alle Sinne fliehen
Mit den Wolken dort zurück!

Und so rufen neue Stellen
Nur die alten mir empor,
Und es blickt aus Wald und Wellen
Nur ihr liebes Bild hervor;

Alles mahnt nur an die süße,
Die entschwund'ne Fröhlichkeit.
Bringt dem treuen Herzen Grüße,
Ach, es war wohl schöne Zeit!

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by Karl Egon Ebert (1801 - 1882)
6. Travel song
Language: English 
Carry the greetings of the truest heart,
Hurrying waves, to her.
Tell her, how I am bereft of all happiness
Since I have been parted from her.

Here I am aware of every pain,
There I forgot every sorrow,
Eye gazing into eye, heart upon heart,
Ah, it was a lovely time!

See, the wind blows toward her,
Toward her the brook hurries,
Everything wants to move to where she is,
Clouds and leaves follow her.

I alone must journey forward,
I am not permitted to turn my gaze,
But all my senses flee
Back to her with the clouds!

And thus new places only call forth
The old ones for me,
And from forest and waves
Only her dear image gazes out at me.

Everything reminds me only of the sweet,
The vanished happiness.
Bring the faithful heart greetings,
Ah, it was a lovely time!

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: 2013-09-05
Line count: 24
Word count: 146

Translation © by Sharon Krebs