English translations of Drei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte, opus 21

by Max Spicker (1858 - 1912)

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1. Nachtzauber  [sung text not yet checked]
by Max Spicker (1858 - 1912), "Nachtzauber", op. 21 (Drei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1888 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Fr. Luckhardt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
  Hörst du nicht die Quellen gehen
Zwischen Stein und Blumen weit
Nach den stillen Waldesseen,
Wo die Marmorbilder stehen
In der schönen Einsamkeit?
Von den Bergen sacht hernieder,
Weckend die uralten Lieder,
Steigt die wunderbare Nacht,
Und die Gründe glänzen wieder,
Wie du's oft im Traum gedacht.

  Kennst die Blume du, entsprossen
In dem mondbeglänzten Grund?
Aus der Knospe, halb erschlossen,
Junge Glieder blühend sprossen,
Weiße Arme, roter Mund,
Und die Nachtigallen schlagen,
Und rings hebt es an zu klagen,
Ach, vor Liebe todeswund,
Von versunknen schönen Tagen --
Komm, o komm zum stillen Grund!

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Confirmed with Gedichte von Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff, Leipzig: C.F. Amelangs Verlag, 1892, page 222. Note: in some posthumous anthologies, the poem appears with the title "Einsamkeit", cf. Dichtergrüße. Neuere deutsche Lyrik ausgewählt von Elise Polko, Leipzig, G. F. Amelang's Verlag, 1873, page 140 (the text splits the first stanza into two stanzas of five lines each, then omits the first five lines of the second stanza and leaves the last five lines as its third stanza, while changing line -3 to "Ach, von Liebe todeswund"; the poem is also titled "Einsamkeit" in Deutscher Hort, Bände 44 – 47, Kunst und Leben 3.Teil, Leipzig : Verlag von Quelle & Meyer, 1925, p.10.


by Joseph Karl Benedikt, Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788 - 1857)
1. Night magic
Language: English 
Do you not hear the spring running
between the stones and flowers far
toward the quiet wood lakes,
where the marble statues stand
in fine solitude?
From the mountains, gently
awakening ancient songs,
the wondrous night descends
and the earth gleams again
as you often see in a dream.

Do you know the flower that blooms
in the moonlit land,
from whose buds, half-open,
young limbs bloom with
white arms and red mouth?
And the nightingale sings,
and all around, a lament is raised;
alas, wounded fatally by love,
by lovely days now gone forever -
come, o come to the silent land!

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 "Nachtzauber" = "Night magic"


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 102

Translation © by Emily Ezust
2. Liebesseligkeit  [sung text not yet checked]
by Max Spicker (1858 - 1912), "Liebesseligkeit", op. 21 (Drei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1888 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Fr. Luckhardt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
O glücklich, wer ein Herz gefunden,
Das nur in Liebe denkt und sinnt
Und mit der Liebe treu verbunden
Sein schönres Leben erst beginnt!

Wo liebend sich zwei Herzen einen,
Nur Eins zu sein in Freud' und Leid,
Da muß des Himmels Sonne scheinen
Und heiter lächeln jede Zeit.

Die Liebe, nur die Lieb' ist Leben:
Kannst du dein Herz der Liebe weihn,
So hat dir Gott genug gegeben,
Heil dir! die ganze Welt ist dein!

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Confirmed with Hoffmann's von Fallersleben Gesammelte Werke, Herausgegeben von Dr. Heinrich Gerstenberg (Hamburg), Erster Band, Lyrische Gedichte, Berlin: F. Fontane, 1890, page 86.


by August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben (1798 - 1874)
2. Bliss of love
Language: English 
Oh happy are those who have found a heart
That only thinks and muses in love,
And who, faithfully united with love,
Only then begin their more beautiful life!

Where two hearts lovingly unite,
To be always one in joy and sorrow,
There Heaven's sun must shine
And brightly smile at all times.

Love, only love is life:
If you can dedicate your heart to love,
Then God has given you enough,
Hail to you! the whole world is yours!

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):
"Fröhliche Fahrt" = "Joyful journey"
"Hochzeitsgesang" = "Wedding song"
"Liebesseligkeit" = "Bliss of love"
"Nach der Trauung" = "After the marriage ceremony"
"O glücklich, wer ein Herz gefunden!" = "Oh happy are those who have found a heart"



This text was added to the website: 2024-02-24
Line count: 12
Word count: 80

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
3. Das Geheimniss  [sung text not yet checked]
by Max Spicker (1858 - 1912), "Das Geheimniss", op. 21 (Drei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1888 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Fr. Luckhardt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Du fragst mich, Mädchen, was flüsternd der West
Vertraue den Blüthenglocken?
Warum von Zweige zu Zweig im Geäst
Die zwitschernden Vögel [sich]1 locken?
 
Warum an Knospe die Knospe sich schmiegt,
Und Wellen mit Wellen zerfließen,
Und dem Mondstrahl, der auf den Kelchen sich wiegt,
Die Violen der Nacht sich erschließen?
 
O thörichtes Fragen! Wem Wissen frommt,
Nicht kann ihm die Antwort fehlen;
Drum warte, mein Kind, bis die Liebe kommt,
Die wird dir Alles erzählen!

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Confirmed with Gesammelte Werke des Grafen Adolf Friedrich von Schack, Erster Band, Stuttgart: Velag der J.G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung, 1883, page 386

1 omitted by Strauss

by Adolf Friedrich, Graf von Schack (1815 - 1894)
3.
Language: English 
You ask me, maiden, what the west wind whisperingly
Confides to the flower-bells of the blossoms?
Wherefore from branch to branch in the boughs
The chirping birds [woo each other]1?
 
Why bud snuggles up to bud,
And wave dissolves into wave,
And why the violas of the night open themselves
To the moonbeam that disports itself upon their calyces?
 
Oh foolish questioning!  He who benefits from knowledge
Cannot lack an answer [to your questions];
Therefore wait, my child, until Love comes,
Love shall tell you everything.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2014 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.
    Contact: 

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Translated titles:
"Das Geheimniß (Geheimnis, Geheimniss)" = "The mystery"
"Geheimnis" = "Mystery"

1 Strauss: "entice"


This text was added to the website: 2014-05-08
Line count: 12
Word count: 87

Translation © by Sharon Krebs