English translations of Sechs Gesänge, opus 41

by Robert Emmerich (1836 - 1891)

1. Der Asra  [sung text not yet checked]
by Robert Emmerich (1836 - 1891), "Der Asra", op. 41 (Sechs Gesänge) no. 1, published 1874 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel
Language: German (Deutsch) 
  Täglich ging die wunderschöne 
Sultanstochter auf und nieder 
Um die Abendzeit am Springbrunn,
Wo die weißen Wasser plätschern.

  Täglich stand der junge Sklave
Um die Abendzeit am Springbrunn.
Wo die weißen Wasser plätschern;
Täglich ward er bleich und bleicher.

  Eines Abends trat die Fürstin 
Auf ihn zu mit raschen Worten:
"Deinen Namen will ich wissen, 
Deine Heimat, deine Sippschaft!"

  Und der Sklave sprach: "Ich heiße
[Mohamed]1, [ich]2 bin aus Yemen,
Und mein Stamm sind jene Asra,
Welche sterben, wenn sie lieben."

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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 392.

1 Loewe, Rubinstein: "Mahomet"
2 Loewe: "und"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
1. The Asra
Language: English 
Every day the wondrous lovely
Sultan's daughter spent the evening
On the paths beside the fountain
Where the foaming waters murmur.

Every day the slave boy watched her
On the paths beside the fountain
Where the foaming waters murmur;
Every day he turned more pallid.

Then one eve the princess halted,
Firing off the urgent questions:
What's your name? I want to know it,
And your country and your people!

And the slave boy said: They call me
Mohammed, I'm from the Yemen,
And my tribe -- the famous Asra,
They who die when love enslaves them.

Text Authorship:

  • Singable translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2009 by Peter Palmer, (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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Note: this is a revised American version of the one published with the David Blake setting.


This text was added to the website: 2009-06-10
Line count: 16
Word count: 96

Translation © by Peter Palmer
2. Wie die jungen Blüthen  [sung text not yet checked]
by Robert Emmerich (1836 - 1891), "Wie die jungen Blüthen", op. 41 (Sechs Gesänge) no. 2, published 1874 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wie die jungen Blüthen leise träumen
In der stillen Mitternacht!
Schüchtern spielt der Mondschein in den Bäumen,
Daß die Blüthe nicht erwacht.

So auch flüstert, was ich sing' und sage,
Ziehet wie das Mondenlicht
Leise hin durch deine Blüthentage,
Und mein Lied, es stört dich nicht.

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Confirmed with Gedichte von Hoffmann von Fallersleben, Auswahl von Frauenhand, Hannover: Carl Rümpler, 1862, pages 262-263.


by August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben (1798 - 1874)
2.
Language: English 
How the young blossoms dream quietly
In the silent midnight!
The moonlight frolics timidly in the trees
So that the blossom does not waken.

Thus also whispers what I sing and say,
Passes like the moonlight
Quietly through your blossom-days,
And my song, it does not disturb you.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2024 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):
"Blüten-Traum" = "Blossom-dream"
"Frühlingslied" = "Spring song"
"Lied" = "Song"
"Lied der Nacht" = "Song of the Night"
"Wie die jungen Blüten leise träumen" = "How the young blossoms dream quietly"
"Wie die jungen Blüthen" = "How the young blossoms"
"Wie die jungen Blüthen leise träumen" = "How the young blossoms dream quietly"



This text was added to the website: 2024-03-16
Line count: 8
Word count: 48

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
3. In der Sommermondnacht  [sung text not yet checked]
by Robert Emmerich (1836 - 1891), "In der Sommermondnacht", op. 41 (Sechs Gesänge) no. 3, published 1874 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Lass dich belauschen,
Du stille Nacht!
Nur Wasser rauschen,
Nur Liebe wacht.

Vom Walde drüben
Tönt süsser Schall,
Es singt von [Lieben]1
Die Nachtigall.

Der Vogel schweiget,
Der Mond entwich,
Zur Blume neiget
Die Blume sich.

Der Liebe Fülle
Durchströmt die Flur,
In Nacht und Stille
Sinkt die Natur.

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1 Hinrichs: "Liebe"

by Justinus (Andreas Christian) Kerner (1786 - 1862)
3. In the moonlit night
Language: English 
Let me eavesdrop upon you,
You quiet night!
Only the waters are murmuring,
Only love is awake.

From the forest over yonder
A sweet sound rings out,
The nightingale
Is singing of [loving]1.

The bird falls silent,
The moon has vanished,
Flower inclines itself
To flower.

The fullness of love
Perfuses the lea,
Into night and silence
Nature sinks.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2013 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 Hinrichs "love"


This text was added to the website: 2013-09-30
Line count: 16
Word count: 59

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
4. Spanisches Liebeslied  [sung text not yet checked]
by Robert Emmerich (1836 - 1891), "Spanisches Liebeslied", op. 41 (Sechs Gesänge) no. 4, published 1874 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Murmelndes Lüftchen, Blütenwind,
Der die schöne Welt durchwandelt,
Sing' ein Lied mit den Blätter der Ulme,
Denn es schläft mein süßes Kind.

Heute sollst du, sanfter West,
Schlummer über die ergiessen,
Die mich Frieden nicht geniessen,
Die mein Leid nicht schlafen lässt.
Wiege sie mir ein gelind,
Lüftchen, das die Welt durchwandelt,
Sing' ein Lied mit den Blätter der Ulme,
Denn es schläft mein süßes Kind.

Schweifest zwischen grünen Zweigen,
Lustig murmelnd von den Wonnen,
Die mir alle nun zerronnen,
Von dem Leid, das heut mich eigen.
Kühler, sanfter, plaudernder Wind,
Der die schöne Welt durchwandelt,
Sing' ein Lied mit den [Blätter]1 der Ulme,
Denn es schläft mein süßes Kind.

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Confirmed with Spanisches Liederbuch von Emanuel Geibel und Paul Heyse, Dritte Auflage, Stuttgart und Berlin: J.G. Cotta'sche Buchhandlung Nachfolger, 1904, page 31.

1 Dietrich, Jensen: "Blättern"

by Paul Heyse (1830 - 1914)
4.
Language: English 
Murmuring breeze, blossom-wind,
you who wander through the beautiful world,
sing a song with the elm leaves
because my sweet child is asleep.

Today you, gentle west wind, should
pour sleep over those
who do not let me enjoy peace,
who do not let my sorrow rest.
Rock them gently to sleep for me,
breeze, that wanders over the world,
sing a song with the elm leaves
because my sweet child is asleep.

You stray between green branches,
happily murmuring about the joys
that now have all run away from me,
about the sorrow that I have today.
Cool, mild, gossiping wind,
that wanders through the beautiful world,
sing a song with the elm leaves
because my sweet child is asleep.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2018 by John Glenn Paton, (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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Translation of title "Murmelndes Lüftchen" = "Murmuring breeze"


This text was added to the website: 2018-10-19
Line count: 20
Word count: 121

Translation © by John Glenn Paton
5. Wie leis die Linde rauschte
by Robert Emmerich (1836 - 1891), "Wie leis die Linde rauschte", op. 41 (Sechs Gesänge) no. 5, published 1874 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wie leis die Linde rauschte
 . . . . . . . . . .

— The rest of this text is not
currently in the database but will be
added as soon as we obtain it. —

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Note: there are at least two versions of this poem with different titles: "Denkst d'ran" (published 1860 or earlier), and "Weißt du's auch noch?" (published 1864 or earlier).

by Karl Altmüller (1833 - 1880)
5.
[Translation not yet available]
6. Der Gärtner  [sung text not yet checked]
by Robert Emmerich (1836 - 1891), "Der Gärtner", op. 41 (Sechs Gesänge) no. 6, published 1874 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Auf ihrem Leibrößlein
So weiß wie der Schnee,
Die schönste Prinzessin
[Reit't]1 durch die Allee.

Der Weg, den das Rößlein
Hintanzet so hold,
Der Sand, den ich streute,
Er [blinket]2 wie Gold!

Du rosenfarbs Hütlein
Wohl auf und wohl ab,
O wirf eine Feder,
Verstohlen herab!

Und willst du dagegen
Eine Blüte von mir,
Nimm tausend für eine,
Nimm alle dafür!

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Confirmed with Eduard Mörike, Gedichte, Dramatisches, Erzählendes, Zweite, erweiterte Auflage, Stuttgart: J.G. Cotta'sche Buchhandlung Nachf., 1961, page 59.

1 Killmayer: "reit' "
2 Dresel: "glänzet"

by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875)
6.
Language: English 
On her favorite pony
as white as snow,
the fairest princess
rides down the avenue.
 
On the path down which her steed
so finely prances,
the sand that I strewed there
glitters like gold!
 
You rose-colored little hat,
bobbing up and down,
O toss a feather
stealthily down!
 
And if, for that, you would like
a little flower from me,
take a thousand for one -
take all of them!

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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Translation of title "Der Gärtner" = "The gardener"


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 69

Translation © by Emily Ezust