English translations of Sechs Lieder für Sopran, Alt, Tenor und Bass im Freien zu singen, opus 41

by Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847)

1. Im Walde
 (Sung text)
by Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847), "Im Walde", op. 41 (Sechs Lieder für Sopran, Alt, Tenor und Bass im Freien zu singen) no. 1 (1834?) [ SATB quartet ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ihr Vögel in den Zweigen schwank,
Wie seid ihr froh und frisch und frank
Und trillert Morgenchöre.
Ich fühle mich im Herzen krank,
Wenn ich's von unten höre.

Ein Stündchen nur schleich' ich heraus
In euer lustig Sommerhaus
Und muss mich des beklagen;
Ihr lebet stets in Saus und Braus,
Seht's nachten hier und tagen.

Ihr sucht der Bäume grünes Dach,
Der Wiese Schmelz, den Kieselbach,
Ihr flieht vor Stadt and Mauer,
Und laßt die Menschen seufzen ach,
In ihrem Vogelbauer.

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by August von Platen-Hallermünde (1796 - 1835)
1. In the wood
Language: English 
You birds in the swinging branches,
How merry and fresh and free are you
With your trembling morning choirs.
I feel sick at heart
When I hear it from down below.

I sneak outside for an hour
To go to your pleasant summer house
I must complain about my fate;
You live in fun and happiness,
In the trees, day and night.

You seek the green roof of the wood,
The pastures green, the streams with stones;
You flee from town and wall
And leave the people to sigh, oh,
In their birdcage.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Tinelot Wittermans, (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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Line count: 15
Word count: 93

Translation © by Tinelot Wittermans
2. Entflieh' mit mir
 (Sung text)
by Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847), "Entflieh' mit mir", op. 41 (Sechs Lieder für Sopran, Alt, Tenor und Bass im Freien zu singen) no. 2 (1838) [ SATB quartet ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Entflieh mit mir und sei mein Weib,
Und ruh' an meinem Herzen aus;
In weiter Ferne sei mein Herz
Dein Vaterland und Vaterhaus.

Und fliehst du nicht, so sterb' ich hier
Und du bist einsam und allein;
Und bleibst du auch im Vaterhaus,
Wirst doch wie in der Fremde sein.

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by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
2. Flee with me and be my wife
Language: English 
 Flee with me and be my wife,
 and rest upon my heat;
 in distant lands let my heart
 be your fatherland and your parental home.
 
 If we do not flee, I'll die here
 and you will be lonely and alone;
 and you will remain in your parental house,
 but it will be like a foreign land to you.

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: 8
Word count: 59

Translation © by Emily Ezust
3. Es fiel ein Reif
 (Sung text)
by Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847), "Es fiel ein Reif", op. 41 (Sechs Lieder für Sopran, Alt, Tenor und Bass im Freien zu singen) no. 3 (1838) [ SATB quartet ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Es fiel ein Reif in der Frühlingsnacht,    
Es fiel auf die bunten Blaublümelein:
Sie sind verwelket, verdorret.

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

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

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by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
3. 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


    If the copyright-holder(s) are unreachable for three business days, please write to:


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Line count: 9
Word count: 61

Translation © by David Kenneth Smith
4. Auf ihrem Grab da steht eine Linde
 (Sung text)
by Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847), "Auf ihrem Grab da steht eine Linde", op. 41 (Sechs Lieder für Sopran, Alt, Tenor und Bass im Freien zu singen) no. 4 (1838) [ SATB quartet ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Auf ihrem Grab, da steht eine Linde,
Drin pfeifen die Vögel und Abendwinde,
Und drunter sitzt, auf dem grünen Platz,
Der Müllersknecht mit seinem Schatz.

Die Winde weh'n so still und so schaurig,
Die Vögel singen so süß und so traurig:
Die schwatzenden Buhlen, sie werden stumm,
Sie weinen und wissen selbst nicht warum.

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by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
4. Over their grave stands a linden tree
Language: English 
 Over their grave stands a linden tree,
 in which the birds are piping in the evening wind,
 and on the grass underneath sits
 the miller's boy with his sweetheart.
 
 The wind blows so mildly and eerily,
 the birds sing so sweetly and mournfully:
 the chattering youngsters, they fall silent;
 they weep and they do not know why.

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: 8
Word count: 58

Translation © by Emily Ezust
5. Mailied
 (Sung text)
by Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847), "Mailied", op. 41 (Sechs Lieder für Sopran, Alt, Tenor und Bass im Freien zu singen) no. 5 (1834?) [ SATB quartet ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Der Schnee zerrinnt,
Der Mai beginnt,
Und Blüten keimen 
Auf Gartenbäumen,
Und Vogelschall
Tönt überall.

Pflückt einen Kranz,
Und haltet Tanz
Auf grünen Auen, 
Ihr schönen Frauen, 
Wo grüne Main 
Uns Kühlung streun.

Wer weiß, wie bald
Die Klocke schallt,
Da wir des Maien 
Uns nicht mehr freuen:
Wer weiß, wie bald
Die Klocke schallt!

Drum werdet froh! 
Gott will es so,
Der uns dies Leben
Zur Lust gegeben! 
Genießt der Zeit, 
Die Gott verleiht!

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This is Hölty's poem in its version posthumously printed in the editions edited by Voß. Hölty's original version differs in several verses (see below).

Note: Modern spelling would change "Klocke" to "Glocke".

by Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776)
5. May song
Language: English 
The snow is melting,
May is beginning,
The blossoms are sprouting
On the trees in the garden
And the sound of birds
Can be heard everywhere.

Pluck a garland
And hold a dance
On the green meadow
You beautiful women,
Where young May blossoms
Strew coolness over us.

Who knows how soon
The bell will toll!
Then in May we 
Shall no longer be able to have fun.
Who knows how soon
The bell will toll!

So, be happy!
God wills it thus,
He who gave us this life,
A life given to us for enjoyment!
Enjoy the time
That God has made available!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 by Malcolm Wren, (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 "Mailied" = "May song"


This text was added to the website: 2016-09-11
Line count: 24
Word count: 104

Translation © by Malcolm Wren
6. Auf dem See
 (Sung text)
by Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847), "Auf dem See", op. 41 (Sechs Lieder für Sopran, Alt, Tenor und Bass im Freien zu singen) no. 6 (1834?) [ SATB quartet ], stanzas 1-3
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Und frische Nahrung, neues Blut
Saug' ich aus freier Welt;
Wie ist Natur so hold und gut,
Die mich am Busen hält!
Die Welle wieget unsern Kahn
Im Rudertakt hinauf,
Und Berge, wolkig himmelan,
Begegnen unserm Lauf.

Aug', mein Aug', was sinkst du nieder?
Goldne Träume, kommt ihr wieder?
Weg, du Traum! so Gold du bist;
Hier auch Lieb' und Leben ist.

Auf der Welle blinken
Tausend schwebende Sterne,
Weiche Nebel trinken
Rings die thürmende Ferne;
Morgenwind umflügelt
Die beschattete Bucht,
Und im See bespiegelt
Sich die reifende Frucht.

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by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
6. On the lake
Language: English 
And fresh sustenance, new blood
I soak up from the wide world;
How sweet and good is nature
Which holds me to her bosom!
The waves rock our little boat
In time with the oars,
And mountains, cloud-capped heavenwards,
Meet our circling course.

Eyes, my eyes, why are you cast down?
Golden dreams, do you come again?
Away, you dream, however golden;
Here too is love and life.

On the waves twinkle
A thousand hovering stars,
Soft mists swallow up
The surrounding towering distances;
Morning wind wings around
The shadowed bay,
And the lake mirrors
The ripening fruit.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Lawrence Snyder and Rebecca Plack, (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 between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 98

Translation © by Lawrence Snyder, Rebecca Plack