English translations of Fünf Lieder und Gesänge, opus 2

by Hermann Schreyer

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1. Im wunderschönen Monat Mai  [sung text not yet checked]
by Hermann Schreyer , "Im wunderschönen Monat Mai", op. 2 (Fünf Lieder und Gesänge) no. 1
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Im wunderschönen Monat Mai,
Als alle Knospen sprangen, 1 
Da [ist]2 in meinem Herzen
Die Liebe aufgegangen.

Im wunderschönen Monat Mai,
Als alle Vögel sangen, 3
Da hab' ich ihr gestanden
Mein Sehnen und Verlangen.

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Confirmed with Heinrich Heine, Buch der Lieder, Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg, 1827, page 112.

1 Lachner adds: "Geweckt von süssen Schmerzen, / Von Sehnsucht sanft umfangen,"
2 Ender: "ist auch"
3 Lachner adds: "Die Blüten sich umwanden, / Die Zweige sich umschlangen,"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
1. In the wonderfully beautiful month of May
Language: English 
In the wonderfully beautiful month of May
When all the buds are bursting open,
There, from my own heart,
Bursts forth my own love.

In the wonderfully beautiful month of May
When all the birds are singing,
So have I confessed to her
My yearning and my longing.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Paul Hindemith, (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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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 48

Translation © by Paul Hindemith
2. Du bist wie eine Blume  [sung text not yet checked]
by Hermann Schreyer , "Du bist wie eine Blume", op. 2 (Fünf Lieder und Gesänge) no. 3
Language: German (Deutsch) 
  Du bist wie eine Blume
[So hold und schön und rein;]1
Ich [schau']2 dich an, und Wehmut
Schleicht mir ins Herz hinein.

  Mir ist, als [ob ich]3 die Hände
Aufs Haupt [dir]4 legen sollt',
[Betend]5, daß [Gott dich]6 erhalte
[So rein und schön und hold]7.

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Confirmed with: Heinrich Heine’s sämtliche Werke in vier Bänden, herausgegeben von Otto F. Lachmann, Erster Band, Leipzig: Druck und Verlag von Philipp Reclam jun, [1887], page 136.

1 Ander: "So schön, so rein und hold"; Chadwick: "So schön, so hold, so rein"; Mayer: "So hold, so schön und rein"; Becker, Thuille: "So hold, so schön, so rein"; Unger: "So rein so schön und hold"
2 Becker: "seh'"
3 Hinrichs: "ob"
4 Hinrichs: "ich dir"
5 Dreyschock: "und beten"
6 Liszt: "dich Gott"
7 Ander: "So hold und schön und rein"; Chadwick, Thuille: "So schön, so hold, so rein"; Mayer: "So rein, so schön und hold"; Becker: "So rein, so schön, so hold"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
2. Thou art, as is a flower
Language: English 
Thou art, as is a flower,
so meek and pure and fine,
I look at thee and sadness
steals o'er the heart of mine.

I feel that both my hands softly
thy hair, thy head should seek,
praying that God may preserve thee
so pure and fine and meek.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2009 by Bertram Kottmann, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.

    Bertram Kottmann.  Contact: BKottmann (AT) t-online.de

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This text was added to the website: 2009-08-10
Line count: 8
Word count: 49

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann
3. Unterm Flieder
 (Sung text)
by Hermann Schreyer , "Unterm Flieder", op. 2 (Fünf Lieder und Gesänge) no. 4 [ tenor or soprano, piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Dies ist der wohlvertraute Flieder.
Hier weilt' ich einst als frohes Kind
Und stammelte die ersten Lieder,
Gewiegt von Träumen hold und lind.

Das Glück auf ungestümer Welle
Entfloh mir in der Welt Gebraus.
Such' ich an der geliebten Stelle,
Ach alles sieht viel anders aus.

Die kleine Bank ist weggenommen,
Hoch aufwuchs das Gebüsch umher,
Und mag ich selbst auch wiederkommen,
Doch kommt das frohe Kind nicht mehr!

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by Friedrich Heinrich Karl, Freiherr de La Motte-Fouqué (1777 - 1843)
3. Beneath the lilac
Language: English 
[That]1 is the well-remembered lilac.
Here I once lingered as a happy child
And stammered my first songs,
Rocked by dreams, lovely and gentle.

Upon rough waves, happiness
Escaped me in the bustle of the world.
When I search at the beloved spot,
Ah, everything looks very much different.

The little bench has been taken away,
The surrounding bushes have grown tall,
And even though I myself may come here again,
Yet the happy child returns no more!

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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Translations of title(s):
"Die Stelle am Fliederbaum" = "The place by the lilac tree"
"Unterm Flieder" = "Beneath the lilac"

1 Schreyer: "This"


This text was added to the website: 2017-04-03
Line count: 12
Word count: 79

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
4. Hör' ich das Liedchen klingen  [sung text not yet checked]
by Hermann Schreyer , "Hör' ich das Liedchen klingen", op. 2 (Fünf Lieder und Gesänge) no. 5
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Hör' ich das Liedchen klingen,
Das einst die Liebste sang,
[So will mir die Brust]1 zerspringen
[Vor]2 wildem [Schmerzendrang.]3

[Es treibt mich]4 ein dunkles Sehnen
Hinauf [zur]5 Waldeshöh',
Dort löst sich auf in Tränen
Mein übergroßes Weh'.

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Confirmed with Heinrich Heine, Buch der Lieder, Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg, 1827, page 145.

1 Meyerbeer: "Will mir das Herz"
2 Schumann: "Von"
3 Franz, Hinrichs: "Schmerzensdrang"
4 Meyerbeer: "Mich treibt"
5 Hinrichs: "zu der"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
4. I hear the dear song sounding
Language: English 
I hear the dear song sounding
That once my beloved sang.
And my heart wants to burst so strongly
From the savage pressure of pain.

A dark longing is driving me
Up into the heights of the woods
Where in my tears can be dissolved
My own colossal woe.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Paul Hindemith, (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: 8
Word count: 49

Translation © by Paul Hindemith