Six Songs

Translations © by David Kenneth Smith

Song Cycle by Clara Schumann (1819 - 1896)

View original-language texts alone: Sechs Lieder

1. Ihr Bildnis
 (Sung text)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ich stand in dunkeln Träumen
Und starrte ihr Bildniß an,
Und das geliebte Antlitz
Heimlich zu leben begann.
 
Um ihre Lippen zog sich
Ein Lächeln wunderbar,
Und wie von Wehmuthsthränen
Erglänzte ihr Augenpaar.
 
Auch meine Thränen flossen
Mir von den Wangen herab -- 
Und ach, ich kann's nicht glauben,
Daß ich Dich verloren hab'!

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by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
1.
Language: English 
I stood in darkened daydreams
and stared at her portrait long
as that beloved face was
secretly coming to life.

Around her lips there blossomed
a wondrous laughing smile,
and melancholy teardrops -
they glittered in her fair eyes.

Likewise my teardrops welled up
and flowed down mournful cheeks
alas, I can't believe it,
that I am deprived of you!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 1996 by David Kenneth Smith, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., please ask the copyright-holder(s) directly.

    David Kenneth Smith.  Contact: dksmith (AT) geneva.edu


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This text was added to the website: 2024-03-09
Line count: 12
Word count: 59

Translation © by David Kenneth Smith
2. Sie liebten sich beide  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
  Sie liebten sich beide, doch keiner
Wollt' es dem andern gestehn;
Sie sahen sich an so feindlich,
Und wollten vor Liebe vergehn.

  Sie trennten sich endlich und [sahn]1 sich
Nur noch zuweilen im Traum;
Sie waren [längst]2 gestorben
Und wußten es selber kaum.

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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 131.

1 Backer-Grøndahl, White: "sahen"
2 Backer-Grøndahl: "schon längst"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
2. They once loved each other
Language: English 
They once loved each other, but neither
would to the other confess;
they saw each other as hostile,
yet wanted to perish from love.

They finally parted and sometimes sighted
the other in dreams;
they had been dead so long now
and hardly known it themselves.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 1996 by David Kenneth Smith, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., please ask the copyright-holder(s) directly.

    David Kenneth Smith.  Contact: dksmith (AT) geneva.edu


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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 46

Translation © by David Kenneth Smith
3. Liebeszauber
 (Sung text)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Die Liebe saß als Nachtigall
Im Rosenbusch und sang,
Es flog der wundersüße Schall
Den grünen Wald entlang.

Und wie er klang, da stieg im Kreis
Aus tausend Kelchen Duft,
Und alle Wipfel rauschten leis',
Und leiser ging die Luft;

Die Bäche schwiegen, die noch kaum
Geplätschert von den Höh'n,
Die Rehlein standen wie im Traum
Und lauschten dem Getön.

Und hell und immer heller floß
Der Sonne Glanz herein,
Um Blumen, Wald und Schlucht ergoß
Sich goldig rother Schein.

Ich aber zog den Weg entlang
Und hörte auch den Schall --
Ach, was seit jener Stund' ich sang,
War nur sein Wiederhall.

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by Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884)
3.
Language: English 
Now Love once like a nightingale
in rosebush perched and sang;
with sweetest wonder flew the sound
along the woodland green.

And as it rang, there rose a scent
from ring of thousand buds,
and all the treetops rustled soft,
and softer blew the air;

The brooklets silenced, scarcely come
by splashing from the heights,
the fawns stood still as if in dream
and listened to the tone.

And bright and ever brighter flowed
the sunbeams down inside,
'round blossoms, wood and gorge it gushed
with golden red sunshine.

I walked along the path that day
and also heard that sound.
Alas! what ever since I've sung
was just its echo faint.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 1996 by David Kenneth Smith, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., please ask the copyright-holder(s) directly.

    David Kenneth Smith.  Contact: dksmith (AT) geneva.edu


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Title "Waldesgesang" = "Forest song"


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 112

Translation © by David Kenneth Smith
4. Der Mond kommt still gegangen
 (Sung text)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Der Mond kommt still gegangen
Mit seinem goldnen Schein,
Da schläft in holdem Prangen 
Die müde Erde ein.

 ... 

Und auf den Lüften schwanken
Aus manchem treuen Sinn
Viel tausend Liebesgedanken
Über die Schläfer hin.

Und drunten im Thale, da funkeln
Die Fenster von Liebchens Haus;
Ich aber blicke im Dunkeln
Still in die Welt hinaus.

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Note: in Lachner's score, the first word of stanza 4 is "Da" but becomes "Und" in the repetition.

by Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884)
4. The moon so peaceful rises
Language: English 
The moon so peaceful rises
with all its golden shine,
here sleeps in lovely glitter
the weary earth below.

[ ... ]

And on the breezes waft down
from many faithful hearts
true loving thoughts by the thousand
upon the sleeping ones.

And down in the valley, there twinkle
the lights from my lover's house;
but I in darkness still look out -
silent - into the world.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 1996 by David Kenneth Smith, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., please ask the copyright-holder(s) directly.

    David Kenneth Smith.  Contact: dksmith (AT) geneva.edu


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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 63

Translation © by David Kenneth Smith
5. Ich hab' in deinem Auge
 (Sung text)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ich hab' in deinem Auge den Strahl 
Der ewigen Liebe gesehen, 
Ich sah auf deinen Wangen einmal 
Die Rosen des Himmels stehn.

Und wie der Strahl im Aug' erlischt,
Und wie die Rosen zerstieben,
Ihr Abglanz, ewig neu erfrischt,
Ist mir im Herzen geblieben.

Und niemals werd' ich die Wangen sehn 
Und nie in's Auge dir blicken,
So werden sie mir in Rosen stehn
Und es den Strahl mir schicken.

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by Friedrich Rückert (1788 - 1866)
5. I once into your eyes looked
Language: English 
I once into your eyes looked,
the flash of unfading love I beheld there,
I once upon your cheeks saw
the bloom of roses from heaven fair.

And though the flash of eye may fade
and though the roses may wither,
their splendor ever new refreshed,
is how my heart will remember.

And never will I behold your cheeks
and in your eyes ne'er be gazing,
without those roses that I saw bloom
and with that flash be blazing.

Text Authorship:

  • Singable translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 1996 by David Kenneth Smith, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., please ask the copyright-holder(s) directly.

    David Kenneth Smith.  Contact: dksmith (AT) geneva.edu


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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 79

Translation © by David Kenneth Smith
6. Die stille Lotusblume
 (Sung text)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Die stille Lotusblume
Steigt aus dem blauen See,
Die Blätter flimmern und blitzen,
Der Kelch ist weiß wie Schnee.

Da gießt der Mond vom Himmel
All' seinen gold'nen Schein,
Gießt alle seine Strahlen
In ihren Schooß hinein.

Im Wasser um die Blume
Kreiset ein weißer Schwan,
Er singt so süß, so leise
Und schaut die Blume an.

Er singt so süß, so leise
Und will im Singen vergehn --
O Blume, weiße Blume,
Kannst du das Lied verstehn?

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by Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884)
6. The quiet lotus-blossom/water-rose
Language: English 
The quiet lotus blossom
sprouts from the pond so blue,
its leaves all glimmer and sparkle,
its bud is white as snow.

The moon pours down from heaven
all of its golden shine,
pours all its golden moonbeams
into her blossom heart.

In water 'round the blossom
circles the whitest swan
it sings so sweet, so softly
and gazes on the bloom.

It sings so sweet, so softly
and would but perish in song.
O blossom, whitest blossom,
can you conceive the song?

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 1996 by David Kenneth Smith, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., please ask the copyright-holder(s) directly.

    David Kenneth Smith.  Contact: dksmith (AT) geneva.edu


    If the copyright-holder(s) are unreachable for three business days, please write to:


Based on:

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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 83

Translation © by David Kenneth Smith