English translations of Drei Gesänge für 4 Solostimmen (S., A., T. und B.) mit Pianoforte, opus 8

by Louis Victor Franz Saar (1868 - 1937)

1. Mainacht  [sung text not yet checked]
by Louis Victor Franz Saar (1868 - 1937), "Mainacht", op. 8 (Drei Gesänge für 4 Solostimmen (S., A., T. und B.) mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1895 [ SATB quartet a cappella ], Leipzig, Robitschek
Language: German (Deutsch) 
[Wann]1 der silberne Mond durch die Gesträuche [blinkt]2,
Und sein schlummerndes Licht über den Rasen [streut]3,
  Und die Nachtigall flötet,
    Wandl' ich traurig von Busch zu Busch.

Selig preis' ich dich dann, flötende Nachtigall,
Weil dein Weibchen mit dir wohnet in Einem Nest,
  Ihrem singenden Gatten
    Tausend trauliche Küsse giebt.

[Überhüllet]4 von Laub, girret ein Taubenpaar
Sein Entzücken mir vor; aber ich wende mich,
  Suche [dunklere Schatten]5,
    Und die einsame Thräne rinnt.

Wann, o lächelndes Bild, welches wie Morgenroth
Durch die Seele mir stralt, find' ich auf Erden dich?
  Und die einsame Thräne
    Bebt mir heisser die Wang' herab.

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Confirmed with Gedichte von Ludewig Heinrich Christoph Hölty. Besorgt durch seine Freunde Friederich Leopold Grafen zu Stolberg und Johann Heinrich Voß. Hamburg, bei Carl Ernst Bohn. 1783, page 167; with Poetische Blumenlese Auf das Jahr 1775. Göttingen und Gotha bey Johann Christian Dieterich, pages 210-211; and with Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Hölty's Sämtliche Werke kritisch und chronologisch herausgegeben von Wilhelm Michael, Erster Band, Weimar, Gesellschaft der Bibliophilen, 1914, page 159.

1 Hölty, first edition: "Wenn"
2 Hölty, first edition: "blickt"
3 Hölty, first edition: "geußt"
4 Hölty's manuscript: "Überschattet"
5 Hölty's manuscript: "dunkle Gesträuche"

by Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776)
1.
Language: English 
When the silver moon twinkles through the bushes,
And dusts the grass with its sleepy light,
And the nightingale pipes like a flute,
I wander mournfully from bush to bush.

I call you blessed then, fluting nightingale, 
For your beloved lives with you in one nest,
And gives her singing spouse
A thousand loving kisses.

Surrounded with leaves, a pair of doves coos
Their delight to me, but I turn away,
Seeking darker shadows,
And a solitary tear flows.

O smiling image that, like the red light of morning,
Shines through my soul, when will I find you on earth?
And the solitary tear
Trembles more warmly on my cheek.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2019 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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2. Seufzer  [sung text not yet checked]
by Louis Victor Franz Saar (1868 - 1937), "Seufzer", op. 8 (Drei Gesänge für 4 Solostimmen (S., A., T. und B.) mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1895 [ SATB quartet a cappella ], Leipzig, Robitschek
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Die Nachtigall
Singt überall
Auf grünen Reisen
Die besten Weisen,
Daß ringsum Wald
Und Ufer schallt.

Manch junges Paar
Geht dort, wo klar
Das Bächlein rauschet,
Und steht, und lauschet
Mit frohem Sinn
Der Sängerin.

Ich höre bang'
Im düstern Gang
Der Nachtigallen
Gesänge schallen;
Denn ach! allein
Irr' ich im Hain.

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Confirmed with Gedichte von Ludewig Heinrich Christoph Hölty. Besorgt durch seine Freunde Friederich Leopold Grafen zu Stolberg und Johann Heinrich Voß. Hamburg, bei Carl Ernst Bohn. 1783, page 184.

This is the version of Hölty's poem heavily reworked by Voß. For the original version, see below.


by Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776) and by Johann Heinrich Voss (1751 - 1826)
2. Sighs
Language: English 
The nightingale
Sings everywhere
On green twigs
In the best manner,
That resounds all around woods
And river banks.

Many young couples
Go there, where the clear
Brooklet murmurs
And stand and listen
happily
To the songstress.

I anxiously hear
on a gloomy path
The Nightingales'
Song resounding,
Because Oh! alone
I wander in the grove.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Richard Morris, (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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3. Minnelied  [sung text not yet checked]
by Louis Victor Franz Saar (1868 - 1937), "Minnelied", op. 8 (Drei Gesänge für 4 Solostimmen (S., A., T. und B.) mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1895 [ SATB quartet a cappella ], Leipzig, Robitschek
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Holder klingt der Vogelsang,
Wann die Engelreine, 
Die mein [Jünglingsherz]1 bezwang,
Wandelt durch die Haine.

Röther [blühen]2 Thal und Au,
Grüner wird der Wasen,
[Wo die Finger meiner Frau
Maienblumen]3 lasen.

Ohne sie ist alles todt,
Welk sind Blüt' und Kräuter;
Und kein Frühlingsabendroth
Dünkt mir schön und heiter.

Traute, minnigliche Frau,
Wollest nimmer fliehen;
Daß mein Herz, gleich dieser Au,
Mög' in Wonne blühen!

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Confirmed with Gedichte von Ludewig Heinrich Christoph Hölty. Neu besorgt und vermehrt von Johann Heinrich Voss. Hamburg, bei Carl Ernst Bohn. 1804, pages 175-176.

Note: This is the version as published by Voß. The initial version of this poem, according to Hölty's manuscript, has one more stanza and is quite different (see below).

1 Mendelssohn: "junges Herz"
2 Schubert: "blühet"
3 Schubert: "Wo mir Blumen, rot und blau, / Ihre Hände"

Note: According to Neue Gesamtausgabe Schubert set only stanzas 1 and 2, in his autograph he crossed out the repeat mark at the end.


by Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776)
3. Delightfully sound the birdsongs
Language: English 
Delightfully sound the birdsongs
when the pure angel
who conquered my young heart
wanders through the wood.

Redder bloom the valleys and meadows,
Greener becomes the grass
where the fingers of my lady
Are picking little mayflowers.

Without her, everything is dead.
Blossoms and herbs are wilted;
and no spring sunset
would seem to me as fair and fine.

Darling, lovely woman,
Never wish to flee;
that my heart, as well as this meadow,
might bloom in joy!

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.


Based on:

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: 78

Translation © by Emily Ezust