English translations of Romanzen und Balladen. Heft 2, opus 9

by Ludwig Siegfried Meinardus (1827 - 1896)

1. Der Asra  [sung text not yet checked]
by Ludwig Siegfried Meinardus (1827 - 1896), "Der Asra", op. 9 (Romanzen und Balladen. Heft 2) no. 1, published 1853 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Friedländer
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. Ein Fichtenbaum  [sung text not yet checked]
by Ludwig Siegfried Meinardus (1827 - 1896), "Ein Fichtenbaum", op. 9 (Romanzen und Balladen. Heft 2) no. 2, published 1853 [ voice and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ein [Fichtenbaum]1 steht einsam
Im Norden auf kahler Höh';
Ihn schläfert; mit weißer Decke
Umhüllen ihn Eis und Schnee.

Er träumt von einer Palme,
Die fern im Morgenland,
Einsam und [schweigend]2 trauert
Auf brennender Felsenwand.

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Confirmed with Heinrich Heine, Buch der Lieder, Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg, 1827, page 137.

1 Biegeleben: "Tannenbaum"; further changes may exist not shown above.
2 Marx: "schweigsam"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
2. A spruce-tree stands alone
Language: English 
 A spruce-tree stands alone
 in the north, on the bare heights;
 it slumbers; in a white blanket
 it is surrounded by ice and snow.
 
 It dreams of a palm tree
 which, far-off in the land of the morning,
 grieves, alone and mute,
 on a burning, rocky wall.

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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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 48

Translation © by Emily Ezust
3. Mondnacht
by Ludwig Siegfried Meinardus (1827 - 1896), "Mondnacht", op. 9 (Romanzen und Balladen. Heft 2) no. 3, published 1853 [ voice and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Der Cedarwald rauscht
 . . . . . . . . . .

— 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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  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
3.
[Translation not yet available]