English translations of Zwei Lieder für Mezzo-Sopran (oder Bariton) mit Pianoforte, opus 40

by Ludwig Bonvin (1850 - 1939)

1. The arrow and the song  [sung text not yet checked]
by Ludwig Bonvin (1850 - 1939), "The arrow and the song", op. 40 (Zwei Lieder für Mezzo-Sopran (oder Bariton) mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1898 [ mezzo-soprano or baritone and piano ], Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel, also set in German (Deutsch)
Language: English 
I shot an Arrow into the air
It fell to earth I [knew]1 not where,
For so swiftly it flew, the sight
Could not follow it in its flight.

I breath'd a Song into the air
It fell to earth, I [knew]1 not where.
For who has sight so keen and strong
That it can follow the flight of a song?

Long, long afterward in an oak
I found the Arrow still unbroke;
And the Song from begining to end
I found again in the heart of a friend.

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Note: parodied in the anonymous poem I stuck a pin into a chair.

1 Balfe, Emery: "know"

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 - 1882)
2. Pfeil und Lied
by Ludwig Bonvin (1850 - 1939), "Pfeil und Lied", op. 40 (Zwei Lieder für Mezzo-Sopran (oder Bariton) mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1898 [ mezzo-soprano or baritone, piano ], Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel, also set in English
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ein Pfeil, den ich in's Weite gesandt
 . . . . . . . . . .

— The rest of this text is not
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  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
2.
[Translation not yet available]
3. Regentag  [sung text not yet checked]
by Ludwig Bonvin (1850 - 1939), "Regentag", op. 40 (Zwei Lieder für Mezzo-Sopran (oder Bariton) mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1898 [ mezzo-soprano or baritone and piano ], Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel , also set in English
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Der Tag ist kalt und trüb und traurig;
Es regnet, und der Wind weht schaurig;
Noch hält sich der Wein an der morschen Wand,
Doch der Sturm wirft die todten Blätter aufs Land,
  Und der Tag ist trüb und traurig.

Mein Leben ist kalt und trüb und traurig;
Es regnet, und der Wind weht schaurig;
Noch hält sich mein Geist an geschwundener Zeit,
Doch die Träume der Jugend verwehten so weit,
  Und die Tage sind trüb und traurig.

Sei still, mein Herz! und laß dein Weinen;
Durch Wolken sieh die Sonne scheinen;
Was du auch trägst, trägst du nicht allein:
In jedes Leben braust Sturm hinein,
  Mancher Tag muß sein trüb und traurig.

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Confirmed with Deutsche Dichterhalle. Unter Mitwirkung der hervorragendsten Dichter und Schriftsteller, ed. Oscar Blumenthal, Jahrgang 1873, Leipzig: Verlag von Johann Friedrich Hartknoch, page 214.


by (Gustav) Emil Barthel (1835 - 1906)
3. Rainy day
Language: English 
The day is cold and dreary and sad;
It is raining, and the wind blows eerily;
The grapevine still manages to keep hold on the brittle wall,
But the storm tosses the dead leaves upon the ground,
  And the day is dreary and sad.

My life is cold and dreary and sad;
It is raining, and the wind blows eerily;
My spirit still clings to times past,
But the dreams of youth have been dissipated so broadly,
  And the days are dreary and sad.

Be still, my heart! and leave off weeping;
See the sun shining through the clouds;
Whatever you bear, you do not bear it alone:
Storms rush into every life,
  Some days must be dreary and sad.

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  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2022 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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Translations of title(s):
"Der Regentag" = "The rainy day"
"Regentag" = "Rainy day"



This text was added to the website: 2022-04-21
Line count: 15
Word count: 120

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
4. The rainy day  [sung text not yet checked]
by Ludwig Bonvin (1850 - 1939), "The rainy day", op. 40 (Zwei Lieder für Mezzo-Sopran (oder Bariton) mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1898 [ mezzo-soprano or baritone and piano ], Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel , also set in German (Deutsch)
Language: English 
The day is cold, and dark, and dreary ;
It rains and the wind is never weary;
The vine still clings to the mouldr'ng wall,
But at every gust the dead leaves fall,
  And the day is [dark]1 and dreary.

My life is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It  rains and the wind is never weary;
My thoughts still cling to the mould'ring Past,
But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast,
  And the days are [dark]1 and dreary.

Be still, sad heart!  and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
  Some days must be dark and dreary.

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Confirmed with Popular Poetry: a selection of pieces old and new, adapted for general use, London, Burns & Lambert, 1862, page 119.

1 Ascham: "cold"

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 - 1882)