English translations of Fünf Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte, opus 48

by Alexander Winterberger (1834 - 1914)

Return to the original list

1. Ständchen  [sung text not yet checked]
by Alexander Winterberger (1834 - 1914), "Ständchen", op. 48 (Fünf Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1876 [ soprano and piano ], Leipzig, Kistner
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Mach auf, mach auf, doch leise mein Kind,
Um keinen vom Schlummer zu wecken.
Kaum murmelt der Bach, kaum zittert im Wind
Ein Blatt an den Büschen und Hecken.
Drum leise, mein Mädchen, daß [nichts sich]1 regt,
Nur leise die Hand auf die Klinke gelegt.

Mit Tritten, wie Tritte der Elfen so sacht,
[Die über die Blumen]2 hüpfen,
Flieg leicht hinaus in die Mondscheinnacht,
[Zu]3 mir in den Garten zu schlüpfen.
Rings schlummern die Blüten am rieselnden Bach 
Und duften im Schlaf, nur die Liebe ist wach.

Sitz nieder, hier dämmert's geheimnisvoll
Unter den Lindenbäumen,
Die Nachtigall uns zu Häupten soll
Von [unseren]4 Küssen träumen,
Und die Rose, wenn sie am Morgen erwacht,
Hoch glühn von den Wonnenschauern der Nacht.

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

View original text (without footnotes)
1 Pfitzner: "sich nichts"
2 Strauss: "Um über die Blumen zu"; Berger: "Die über Blumen"
3 Pfitzner: "Mit"
4 Berger: "unsern"

by Adolf Friedrich, Graf von Schack (1815 - 1894)
1. Serenade
Language: English 
Open up, open, but softly my dear,
So as to wake no one from sleep.
The brook hardly murmers, the wind hardly shakes
A leaf on bush or hedge.
So, softly, my maiden, so that nothing stirs,
Just lay your hand softly on the doorlatch.

With steps as soft as the footsteps of elves,
Soft enough to hop over the flowers,
Fly lightly out into the moonlit night,
To steal to me in the garden.
The flowers are sleeping along the rippling brook,
Fragrant in sleep, only love is awake.

Sit, here it darkens mysteriously
Beneath the lindens,
The nightingale over our heads
Shall dream of our kisses,
And the rose, when it wakes in the morning,
Shall glow from the wondrous passions of the night.

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:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 126

Translation © by Lawrence Snyder, Rebecca Plack
2. Der zerbrochene Krug  [sung text not yet checked]
by Alexander Winterberger (1834 - 1914), "Der zerbrochene Krug", op. 48 (Fünf Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1876 [ soprano and piano ], Leipzig, Kistner
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wollt' 'ne Maid um Wasser geh'n,
Trug 'nen Krug, der war so schön.
Stieg ein Herr vorbei,
Brach den Krug entzwei.

Text Authorship:

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view

by Josef Wenzig (1807 - 1876)
2.
[Translation not yet available]
3. Von dunklem Schleir umsponnen  [sung text not yet checked]
by Alexander Winterberger (1834 - 1914), "Von dunklem Schleir umsponnen", op. 48 (Fünf Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1876 [ alto and piano ], Leipzig, Kistner
Language: German (Deutsch) 
[Von dunklem]1 Schleier umsponnen
Ist mir das Tageslicht;
Wohl steigen neue Sonnen, --
Ich seh' sie nicht.

Mir schweift der Blick hinüber
In Weiten, dämmerfern;
[Vom]2 Himmel blinkt ein trüber,
Einsamer Stern.

Ein Mädchen, bleich von Wangen,
Winkt mir von drüben zu:
"Ich bin vorangegangen,
Was zögerst du?"

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

View original text (without footnotes)
1 Neitzel: "Vom dunklen"; further changes may exist not shown above.
2 Keller: "Am"

by Adolf Friedrich, Graf von Schack (1815 - 1894)
3.
Language: English 
Wrapped in a dark veil
Daylight is for me;
New suns may arise, --
I see them not.

My gaze drifts over yonder
Into the distances, as far away as twilight;
From the heavens shines a dreary
Solitary star.

A maiden, pale of cheek,
Beckons me from over there:
"I went on ahead of you,
Why do you hesitate?"

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2014 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: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view

English song title (Möhring, Schäffer, Winterberger): Why do you hesitate
English song title (Müller): Wrapped in a dark veil
English song title (Strauss): From the songs of mourning


This text was added to the website: 2014-04-15
Line count: 12
Word count: 58

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
4. Das Blatt im Buche  [sung text not yet checked]
by Alexander Winterberger (1834 - 1914), "Das Blatt im Buche", op. 48 (Fünf Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 4, published 1876 [ alto and piano ], Leipzig, Kistner
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ich [hab']1 eine alte Muhme,
[Die'n]2 altes Büchlein hat,
Es liegt in dem alten Buche
Ein altes, dürres Blatt.

So dürr [ist wohl auch die Hand schon]3,
[Die ihr's im Lenz einst]4 gepflückt. --
Was mag doch die Alte haben?
Sie weint, [so oft]5 sie's erblickt? --

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Anastasius Grün Blätter der Liebe, Stuttgart: Druck und Verlag von Gebrüder Franckh, 1830, page 64 (also consulted Gedichte von Anastasius Grün, Vierte, vermehrte Auflage, Leipzig: Weidmann'sche Buchhandlung, 1843, page 34; where the poem has the title "Das Blatt im Buche.")

1 Schultz: "hatte"; further changes may exist not shown above.
2 Decker, Reger, 1843 edition: "Die ein"
3 Decker, Reger, 1843 edition: "sind wohl auch die Hände"
4 Decker, Reger, 1843 edition: "Die's einst im Lenz ihr"
5 Decker, Reger, 1843 edition: "wenn"

by Anton Alexander, Graf von Auersperg (1806 - 1876), as Anastasius Grün
4.
Language: English 
I have an elderly aunt,
Who has a small, old book;
Lying in the old book - 
An old, dry leaf.

So very dry, as well, are the hands
Which once plucked it while in bloom.
What then does the elderly one do?
She weeps when she sees it.

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: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2022-06-27
Line count: 8
Word count: 48

Translation © by Michael P Rosewall
5. An den Wind  [sung text not yet checked]
by Alexander Winterberger (1834 - 1914), "An den Wind", op. 48 (Fünf Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 5, published 1876 [ alto and piano ], Leipzig, Kistner
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ich wandre fort [ins ferne]1 Land,
Noch einmal blickt' ich um, bewegt
Und sah, wie sie den Mund geregt,
Und wie gewinket ihre Hand.

Wohl rief sie noch ein freundlich Wort
Mir nach auf meinen trüben Gang,
Doch hört' ich nicht den liebsten Klang,
Weil ihn der Wind getragen fort.

Daß ich mein Glück verlassen muß,
Du rauher, kalter Windeshauch,
Ist's nicht genug, daß du mir auch
Entreißest ihren letzten Gruß?

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Gedichte von Nicolaus Lenau, Stuttgart, Verlag der J. G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung, 1877, pages 187-188. Note for stanza 2, line 2, word 4: in Mendelssohn's score and in some editions of Lenau, there is a misprint of "meinem".

1 Mendelssohn: "in fernes"

by Nikolaus Lenau (1802 - 1850)
5. To the wind
Language: English 
I wandered forth to a far-off land;
just one more time I looked back with emotion,
and saw how she moved her mouth 
and how she waved with her hand.

She must have called a friendly word
to send me on my gloomy way,
but I did not hear one beloved sound
because the wind had carried it away.

That I must give up my happiness,
you raw, cold blast of wind,
it should be enough - yet must you also 
tear from me her last farewell?

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2004 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: 2004-05-13
Line count: 12
Word count: 86

Translation © by Emily Ezust