English translations of 4 Lieder, opus 34

by Egon Kornauth (1891 - 1959)

1. Abendständchen  [sung text not yet checked]
by Egon Kornauth (1891 - 1959), "Abendständchen", op. 34 (4 Lieder) no. 1, published 1936 [ voice and piano ], Vienna-Leipzig-Berlin: Doblinger
    Score: IMSLP [external link]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
[Hör]1 es klagt die Flöte wieder
Und die kühlen [Brunnen]2 rauschen,
Golden wehn die Töne nieder,
Stille, [stille]3, laß uns lauschen!

Holdes Bitten, mild Verlangen,
[Wie es süß zum Herzen spricht]4!
Durch die Nacht die mich umfangen,
Blickt zu mir der Töne Licht.

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1 Brandts-Buys: "Horch"
2 Louis Ferdinand: "Bronnen"
3 omitted by Brandts-Buys.
4 Brandts-Buys: "Wie so süß zum Herzen es spricht!"

by Clemens Maria Wenzeslaus von Brentano (1778 - 1842)
1. Evening serenade
Language: English 
Hark, the flute laments again
and the cool springs murmur;
golden, the sounds waft down -
be still, be still, let us listen.

Lovely supplication, gentle longing,
how sweetly it speaks to the heart!
Through the night that enfolds me
shines the light of the music.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2005 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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This text was added to the website: 2005-12-30
Line count: 8
Word count: 45

Translation © by Emily Ezust
2. Der Spinnerin Lied  [sung text not yet checked]
by Egon Kornauth (1891 - 1959), "Der Spinnerin Lied", op. 34 (4 Lieder) no. 2, published 1936 [ voice and piano ], Vienna-Leipzig-Berlin: Doblinger
    Score: IMSLP [external link]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
  [Es sang vor langen]1 Jahren
Wohl auch die Nachtigall!
[Das war wohl süßer Schall,]2
[Da wir zusammen waren.]3

  Ich sing' und kann nicht weinen,
Und spinne so allein,
Den Faden klar und rein
So lang' der Mond [wird]4 scheinen.

  [Da]5 wir [zusammen]6 waren,
Da sang die Nachtigall;
Nun [mahnet]7 mich ihr Schall,
[Daß]8 du von mir gefahren.

  So oft der Mond mag scheinen,
[Gedenk' ich]9 dein allein.
Mein Herz ist klar und rein --
Gott wolle uns vereinen!

  Seit du von mir gefahren,
Singt stets die Nachtigall,
Ich [denke]10 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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Confirmed with Clemens Brentano, Aus der Chronika eines fahrenden Schülers, Berlin: Paul Gerh. Heinersdorff, Hofbuchhandlung, [1871], pages 31-32.

1 Kauffmann: "Es sang vor vielen"; Matthes: "Einst sang vor langen"; further changes may exist not noted.
2 Lang (op. 36[38]): "Da wir beisammen waren"; Lang (unpublished): " Als wir beisammen waren,"; Thuille: "Das war so süßer Schall"
3 Lang (op. 36[38]): "Das war wohl süßer Schall!"; Lang (unpublished): "Ach! es war wohl süßer Schall!"
4 Lang (op. 36[38] when the text is repeated): "mag"; Thuille: "will"
5 Reichardt: "Als"
6 Thuille: "beisammen"
7 Reichardt: "martert"
8 Reichardt: "Da"
9 Reichardt: "Denk ich wohl"
10 Lang (op. 36[38]), Reichardt, Thuille: "denk' "

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

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

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

  Whenever the moon shines,
I think 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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This text was added to the website: 2006-12-23
Line count: 24
Word count: 135

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
3. Wiegenlied  [sung text not yet checked]
by Egon Kornauth (1891 - 1959), "Wiegenlied", op. 34 (4 Lieder) no. 3, published 1936 [ voice and piano ], Vienna-Leipzig-Berlin: Doblinger
    Score: IMSLP [external link]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Singet leise, leise, leise,
singt eine flüsternd Wiegenlied;
von dem Monde lernt die Weise,
der so still am Himmel zieht.

Denn es schlummern in dem Rheine
Jetzt die lieben Kinder klein,
Ameleya wacht alleine
Weinend in dem Mondenschein.

Singt ein Lied so süß gelinde,
wie die Quelle auf den Kieseln,
wie die Bienen um die Linde
summen, murmeln, flüstern, rieseln.

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Confirmed with Die Märchen des Clemens Brentano, herausgegeben von Guido Görres, Zweite Auflage, Erster Band, Stuttgart: Verlag der J. G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung, 1879, page 231, under the title "Lureley" (three stanzas). Note: the first and last stanza of this poem are often anthologized under the title "Wiegenlied".


by Clemens Maria Wenzeslaus von Brentano (1778 - 1842)
3. Sing softly, softly, softly
Language: English 
Sing softly, softly, softly,
sing a whispered lullaby;
learn the melody from the moon,
which passes by so quietly in the heavens.

For in the Rhine now
the dear little children are sleeping;
only Amelya is awake,
weeping alone in the moonlight.

Sing a song as sweet and mild
as the spring upon the pebbles,
as the bees about the linden
hum, murmur, whisper, and trickle.

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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Line count: 12
Word count: 66

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4. Säus'le, liebe Myrthe!  [sung text not yet checked]
by Egon Kornauth (1891 - 1959), "Säus'le, liebe Myrthe!", op. 34 (4 Lieder) no. 4, published 1936 [ voice and piano ], Vienna-Leipzig-Berlin: Doblinger
    Score: IMSLP [external link]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Säus'le, liebe Myrthe!
Wie still ist's in der Welt,
Der Mond, der Sternenhirte
Auf klarem Himmelsfeld,
Treibt schon die Wolkenschafe
Zum Born des Lichtes hin,
Schlaf, mein Freund, o schlafe,
Bis ich wieder bei dir bin!

Säus'le, liebe Myrthe!
Und träum' im Sternenschein,
Die Turteltaube girrte
Auch ihre Brut schon ein.
Still ziehn die Wolkenschafe
Zum Born des Lichtes hin,
Schlaf, mein Freund, o schlafe,
Bis ich wieder bei dir bin!

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Confirmed with Clemens Brentano's gesammelte schriften. Zweiter Band. Weltliche Gedichte, ed. by Christian Brentano, Frankfurt am Main, J. D. Sauerländer's Verlag, 1852, pages 441-442.

Note: the spelling of "Myrthe" has undergone a few spelling reforms, and might be seen variously as "Myrte" or "Mirte".


by Clemens Maria Wenzeslaus von Brentano (1778 - 1842)
4.
Language: English 
Rustle, dear myrtle!
How quiet it is in the world,
the moon, the shepherd of the stars
in the bright field of heaven,
is driving the cloud-sheep already
to the spring of light;
sleep, my friend, o sleep,
until I am with you again!

Rustle, dear myrtle!
and dream in the starlight;
the turtledove has cooed
her brood to sleep.
Quietly the cloud-sheep float
toward the spring of light;
sleep, my friend, o sleep,
until I am with you again!

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:

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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 80

Translation © by Emily Ezust