English translations of Drei Lieder nach Gedichten von Clemens Brentano, opus 24

by Ludwig Wilhelm Andreas Maria Thuille (1861 - 1907)

1. Wenn die Sonne weggegangen
 (Sung text)
by Ludwig Wilhelm Andreas Maria Thuille (1861 - 1907), "Wenn die Sonne weggegangen", op. 24 (Drei Lieder nach Gedichten von Clemens Brentano) no. 1
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wenn die Sonne weggegangen,
Kommt die Dunkelheit heran,
Abendroth hat goldne Wangen,
Und die Nacht hat Trauer an.

Seit die Liebe weggegangen,
Bin ich nun ein Mohrenkind,
Und die rothen frohen Wangen
Dunkel und verloren sind.

Dunkelheit muß tief verschweigen
Alles Wehe, alle Lust;
Aber Mond und Sterne zeigen,
Was mir wohnet in der Brust.

Wenn die Lippen dir verschweigen
Meines Herzens stille Gluth,
Müssen Blick' und Thränen zeigen,
Wie die Liebe nimmer ruht!

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by Clemens Maria Wenzeslaus von Brentano (1778 - 1842)
1. When the sun has departed
Language: English 
When the sun has departed,
The darkness arrives,
The sunset glow has golden cheeks,
And the night is dressed in mourning.

Since love has departed,
I am nothing but a Moor-child,
And my [red fresh]1 cheeks
Have become dark and forlorn.

Darkness must deeply conceal
All pain, all joy;
But the moon and the stars show
What dwells within my bosom.

When my lips do not tell you
Of the quiet fervour of my heart,
My gaze and my tears show you
How love never rests.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2012 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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1 Grimm: "rose-red"


This text was added to the website: 2012-07-09
Line count: 16
Word count: 86

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. Der Spinnerin Lied
 (Sung text)
by Ludwig Wilhelm Andreas Maria Thuille (1861 - 1907), "Der Spinnerin Lied", op. 24 (Drei Lieder nach Gedichten von Clemens Brentano) no. 2, published 1902 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig: Leuckart
Language: German (Deutsch) 
  Es sang vor langen Jahren
Wohl auch die Nachtigall!
Das war so süßer Schall
Da wir zusammen waren.

  Ich sing' und kann nicht weinen,
Und spinne so allein,
Den Faden klar und rein
So lang' der Mond will scheinen.

  Da wir beisammen waren,
Da sang die Nachtigall;
Nun mahnet mich ihr Schall,
Daß du von mir gefahren.

  So oft der Mond mag scheinen,
Gedenk' ich dein allein.
Mein Herz ist klar und rein --
Gott wolle uns vereinen!

  Seit du von mir gefahren,
Singt stets die Nachtigall,
Ich denk'  bei ihrem Schall,
Wie wir zusammen waren.

  Gott wolle uns vereinen!
Hier spinn' ich so allein.
Der Mond scheint klar und rein,
Ich sing' und möchte weinen!

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by Clemens Maria Wenzeslaus von Brentano (1778 - 1842)
2.
Language: English 
  [Long]1 years ago the nightingale
Must surely have sung as well!
[That was indeed a sweet sound]2
When we were together.]3

  I sing and cannot weep,
And thus alone I spin
The thread so clear and pure
As long as the moon [shall]4 shine.

  When we were together
The nightingale sang;
Now its sound [reminds]5 me
[That]6 you have gone away from me.

  Whenever the moon shines,
[I think]7 only of you.
My heart is serene and pure -
May God unite us.

  Since you went away from me,
The nightingale is always singing;
When I hear it I remember
How we used to be together.

  May God unite us!
Here I spin all alone.
The moon shines so clearly and purely;
I sing and want to weep.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 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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Translated titles:
Altes Lied = Old song
Der Spinnerin Lied = Song of a spinning girl
Der Spinnerin Nachtlied = Night song of a spinning girl Es sang vor langen Jahren = Long years ago there sang
Lied der Spinnerin= Song of a spinning girl
Sehnsucht = Yearning
1 Kauffmann: "Many"; further changes may exist not noted.
2 Lang (both settings): "When we were together"; Thuille: "That was such a sweet sound"
3 Lang (op. 36[38]): "That was indeed a sweet sound!"; Lang (unpublished): "Ah! it was indeed a sweet sound!"
4 Lang (op. 36[38] when the text is repeated): "might"; Thuille: "wishes to"
5 Reichardt: "tortures"
6 Reichardt: "Since"
7 Reichardt: "I indeed think"


This text was added to the website: 2006-12-23
Line count: 24
Word count: 127

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
3. Ich wollt' ein Sträusslein binden
 (Sung text)
by Ludwig Wilhelm Andreas Maria Thuille (1861 - 1907), "Ich wollt' ein Sträusslein binden", op. 24 (Drei Lieder nach Gedichten von Clemens Brentano) no. 3
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ich wollt ein Sträußlein binden,
Da kam die dunkle Nacht,
Kein Blümlein war zu finden,
Sonst hätt' ich dir's gebracht.

Da flossen von den Wangen
Mir Thränen in den Klee,
Ein Blümlein aufgegangen
Ich nun im Garten seh.

Das wollte ich dir brechen
Wohl in dem dunklen Klee,
Doch fing es an zu sprechen:
„Ach, tue mir nicht weh!

„Sei freundlich im Herzen,
Betracht' dein eigen Leid,
Und lasse mich in Schmerzen
Nicht sterben vor der Zeit!“

Und hätt's nicht so gesprochen,
Im Garten ganz allein,
So hätt' ich dir's gebrochen,
Nun aber darf's nicht sein.

Mein Schatz ist ausgeblieben,
Ich bin so ganz allein.
Im Lieben wohnt Betrüben,
Und kann nicht anders sein.

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by Clemens Maria Wenzeslaus von Brentano (1778 - 1842)
3.
Language: English 
I would have made a bouquet
but dark night arrived
and there was no little flower to be found,
or I would have brought it.

Then down my cheeks flowed
tears onto the clover -
I saw that one small flower had come up
now in the garden.

I wanted to pick it for you
deep in the dark clover,
but it began to speak:
"Ah, do not harm me!

"Be kind-hearted,
consider your own grief,
and do not let me
die in agony before my time!"

And if it had not spoken so,
in the garden all alone,
I would have plucked it for you,
but now that cannot be.

My sweetheart has not come,
I am so entirely alone.
In love dwells tribulation,
and it can be no different.

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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Translations of title(s):
"Für die Laute componirt" = "Composed for the lute"
"Ich wollt' ein Sträusschen binden" = "I would have made a bouquet"
"Das Sträusslein" = "The bouquet"
"Ich wollt ein Sträusslein binden" = "I would have made a bouquet"



This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 130

Translation © by Emily Ezust