Six Songs

Translations © by Grant Hicks

Song Cycle by Paul Hindemith (1895 - 1963)

View original-language texts alone: Six Chansons

1. La biche
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Ô la biche : quel bel intérieur
d'anciennes forêts dans tes yeux abonde ; 
combien de confiance ronde 
mêlée à combien de peur.

Tout cela, porté par la vive 
gracilité de tes bonds. 
Mais jamais rien n'arrive 
à cette impossessive 
ignorance de ton front.

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by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926)
1. The Doe
Language: English 
O doe, what lovely ancient forest 
depths abound in your eyes; 
how much open trust 
mixed with how much fear.

All this, borne by the brisk 
gracility of your bounds. 
But nothing ever disturbs 
that unpossessive 
unawareness of your brow.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2001 by Grant Hicks, (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: 2025-05-06
Line count: 9
Word count: 40

Translation © by Grant Hicks
2. Un cygne
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Un cygne avance sur l'eau 
tout entouré de lui-même, 
comme un glissant tableau;
ainsi à certains instants
un être que l'on aime 
est tout un espace mouvant.

Il se rapproche, doublé, 
comme ce cygne qui nage,
sur notre âme troublée...
qui à cet être ajoute 
la tremblante image
de bonheur et de doute.

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by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926)
2. A Swan
Language: English 
A swan advances over the water 
all wrapped up in itself 
like a gliding tableau. 
Thus at certain moments 
a being that one loves 
seems just a moving space. 

He draws near, doubled 
like that swan who swims 
across our troubled soul, 
who adds to this being 
the trembling image 
of happiness and of doubt.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2001 by Grant Hicks, (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 titles:
"Un cygne" = "A Swan"
"Un cygne avance sur l'eau" = "A swan advances over the water"



This text was added to the website: 2025-05-06
Line count: 12
Word count: 55

Translation © by Grant Hicks
3. Puisque tout passe
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Puisque tout passe, faisons
la mélodie passagère ;
celle qui nous désaltère,
aura de nous raison.

Chantons ce qui nous quitte
avec amour et art ;
soyons plus vite
que le rapide départ.

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by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926)
3. Since Everything Passes
Language: English 
Since everything passes, 
let us make fleeting melody; 
the one that refreshes us 
will get the better of us. 

Let us sing that which is leaving us 
with love and art; 
let us be quicker 
than its swift departure.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2001 by Grant Hicks, (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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Translations of titles:
"Puisque tout passe" = "Since Everything Passes"
"Puisque tout passe, faisons" = "Since everything passes, let us make"
"Vergers XXXVI" = "Orchards XXXVI"



This text was added to the website: 2025-05-06
Line count: 8
Word count: 39

Translation © by Grant Hicks
4. Printemps
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Ô mélodie de la sève
qui dans les instruments 
de tous ces arbres s'élève -,
accompagne le chant 
de notre voix trop brève.

C'est pendant quelques mesures 
seulement que nous suivons 
les multiples figures 
de ton long abandon, 
ô abondante nature.

Quand il faudra nous taire, 
d'autres continueront...
Mais à présent comment faire 
pour te rendre mon 
grand cœur complémentaire ?

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by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926)
4. Spring
Language: English 
O melody of the sap 
that rises in the instruments 
of all these trees, 
accompany the song 
of our too-short voices. 

It is only for a few measures 
that we follow 
the manifold figurations 
of your long abandon, 
O abundant nature. 

When it comes time for us to fall silent 
others will carry on ... 
But for now what can I do 
to make my whole heart 
a complement to you?

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2001 by Grant Hicks, (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 titles:
"Mélodie de la sève" = "Melody of the Sap"
"Printemps" = "Spring"



This text was added to the website: 2025-05-06
Line count: 15
Word count: 70

Translation © by Grant Hicks
5. En hiver
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
En hiver, la mort meurtrière 
entre dans les maisons ;
elle cherche la sœur, le père,
et leur joue du violon.

Mais quand la terre remue
sous la bêche du printemps,
la mort court dans les rues
et salue les passants.

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by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926)
5. In Winter
Language: English 
In Winter, murderous Death 
comes into the houses, 
seeks out sister and father 
and plays to them on the fiddle. 

But when the earth turns 
under Springtime's spade 
Death runs through the streets 
and greets the passers-by.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2001 by Grant Hicks, (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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Translations of titles:
"En hiver" = "In Winter"
"En hiver, la mort" = "In Winter, Death"
"En hiver, la mort meurtrière" = "In WInter, murderous Death"



This text was added to the website: 2025-05-06
Line count: 8
Word count: 37

Translation © by Grant Hicks
6. Verger
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Jamais la terre n'est plus réelle
que dans tes branches, ô verger blond,
ni plus flottante que dans la dentelle
que font les ombres sur le gazon.

Là se rencontre ce qui nous reste,
ce qui pèse et ce qui nourrit,
avec le passage manifeste
de la tendresse infinie.

Mais à ton centre, la calme fontaine,
presque dormant en son ancien rond,
de ce contraste parle à peine,
tant en elle il se confond.

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by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926)
6. Orchard
Language: English 
Never is the earth more solid than 
in your branches, O fair orchard, 
Nor more buoyant than in the lacework 
the shadows make upon the grass. 

There we meet what remains to us, 
what has weight and nourishes us, 
along with the manifest passing 
of infinite tenderness. 

But at your heart the calm fountain, 
almost asleep in its ancient circle, 
speaks hardly at all of these contrasts, 
so much are they mixed up in it.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2001 by Grant Hicks, (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:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2025-05-06
Line count: 12
Word count: 75

Translation © by Grant Hicks