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Trakl songs

Translations © by Bertram Kottmann

Song Cycle by Friedhelm Döhl (b. 1936)

View original-language texts alone: Trakl Lieder

1. Im Frühling

(Sung text)

Language: German (Deutsch)

Leise sank von dunklen Schritten der Schnee,
Im Schatten des Baums
Heben die rosigen Lider Liebende.

Immer folgt den dunklen Rufen der Schiffer
Stern und Nacht;
Und die Ruder schlagen leise im Takt.

Balde an verfallener Mauer blühen
Die Veilchen
Ergrünt so stille die Schläfe des Einsamen.

Text Authorship:

by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914), "Im Frühling", appears in Sebastian im Traum, in Sebastian im Traum

See other settings of this text.

by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914)

1. In Spring

Language: English

Softly the snow was sinking from dark steps,
in the tree’s shadow
lovers raise their rosy eyelids. 

Ever star and night
follow the boatmen’s dark calls;
and the oars beat quietly keeping time. 

Soon by the dilapidated wall
violets blossom,
so silently the lonely one’s temple turns green.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 by Bertram Kottmann, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.
Bertram Kottmann. Contact: BKottmann (AT) t-online.de
If you wish to commission a new translation, please contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914), "Im Frühling", appears in Sebastian im Traum, in Sebastian im Traum
- Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view

This text was added to the website: 2016-06-20
Line count: 9
Word count: 48

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann

2. Sommer

(Sung text)

Language: German (Deutsch)

Am Abend schweigt die Klage
Des Kuckucks im Wald.
Tiefer neigt sich das Korn,
Der rote Mohn.

Schwarzes Gewitter droht
Über dem Hügel.
Das alte Lied der Grille
Erstirbt im Feld.

Nimmer regt sich das Laub
Der Kastanie.
Auf der Wendeltreppe
Rauscht dein Kleid.

Stille leuchtet die Kerze
Im dunklen Zimmer;
Eine silberne Hand
Löschte sie aus;
Windstille, sternlose Nacht.

Text Authorship:

by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914), "Sommer", appears in Sebastian im Traum, in Gesang des Abgeschiedenen

See other settings of this text.

by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914)

2. Summer

Language: English

At night-fall the cuckoo’s wail
subsides in the woods.
Deeper bends down the corn,
the red poppy.

Black thunderstorm’s threat
o’er the hilltop.
The old song of the cricket
dies in the field.

No longer the chestnut’s
foliage stirs.
On the spiral staircase
your dress rustles.

Calmly the candle gives light
in the dark chamber;
a silvery hand
extinguished it;
windless and starless night.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 by Bertram Kottmann, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.
Bertram Kottmann. Contact: BKottmann (AT) t-online.de
If you wish to commission a new translation, please contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914), "Sommer", appears in Sebastian im Traum, in Gesang des Abgeschiedenen
- Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view

This text was added to the website: 2016-06-20
Line count: 17
Word count: 64

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann

3. Herbstseele

(Sung text)

Language: German (Deutsch)

Jägerruf und Blutgebell;
Hinter Kreuz und braunem Hügel
Blendet sacht der Weiherspiegel,
Schreit der Habicht hart und hell.

Über Stoppelfeld und Pfad
Banget schon ein schwarzes Schweigen;
Reiner Himmel in den Zweigen;
Nur der Bach rinnt still und stad.

Bald entgleitet Fisch und Wild.
Blaue Seele' dunkles Wandern
Schied uns bald von Lieben, Andern.
Abend wechselt Sinn und Bild.

Rechten Lebens Brot und Wein,
Gott in deine milden Hände
Legt der Mensch das dunkle Ende,
Alle Schuld und rote Pein.

Text Authorship:

by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914), "Herbstseele"

See other settings of this text.

by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914)

3. Autumn soul

Language: English

Tally-ho and bloodhounds baying;
behind the cross and the brown hill
the fishpond’s surface softly glares,
the hawk calls harsh and shrill. 

Over stubble field and path
a black silence already worries;
cloudless sky above the branches;
just the brook flows still and calm.

Fish and game will soon withdraw.
Blue my soul, a darker wandering
soon severed us from loves and others.
Evening changes sense and view.

Righteous life earns bread and wine,
God into your mild hands
mankind lays its doubtful end,
all its guilt and all red pain.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2018 by Bertram Kottmann, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.
Bertram Kottmann. Contact: BKottmann (AT) t-online.de
If you wish to commission a new translation, please contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914), "Herbstseele"
- Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view

This text was added to the website: 2018-11-28
Line count: 16
Word count: 91

4. Ein Winterabend

(Sung text)

Language: German (Deutsch)

Wenn der Schnee ans Fenster fällt,
Lang die Abendglocke läutet,
Vielen ist der Tisch bereitet
Und das Haus ist wohl bestellt.

Mancher auf der Wanderschaft
Kommt ans Tor auf dunklen Pfaden.
Golden blüht der Baum der Gnaden
Aus der Erde kühlem Saft.

Wanderer tritt still herein;
Schmerz versteinerte die Schwelle.
Da erglänzt in reiner Helle
Auf dem Tische Brot und Wein.

Text Authorship:

by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914), "Ein Winterabend", appears in Sebastian im Traum, in Der Herbst des Einsamen, 2. Fassung

See other settings of this text.

by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914)

4. A winter evening

Language: English

When the snow falls ’gainst the panes, 
long the evening bell is ringing, 
many find a well-laid table 
and their matters well arranged. 

Many a man who roams about
finds the gate on murky pathways. 
Golden blooms the tree of mercy
from the cool sap of the earth. 

Wanderer, step in, be still; 
Pain has petrified the threshold. 
There are - chaste in radiance gleaming -
on the table bread and wine.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 by Bertram Kottmann, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.
Bertram Kottmann. Contact: BKottmann (AT) t-online.de
If you wish to commission a new translation, please contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914), "Ein Winterabend", appears in Sebastian im Traum, in Der Herbst des Einsamen, 2. Fassung
- Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view

This text was added to the website: 2016-06-07
Line count: 12
Word count: 71