Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.

It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.

To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net

If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.

Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.

Georg Trakl Songs

Translations © by Bertram Kottmann

Song Cycle by Jacques G. Goosen (b. 1952)

View original-language texts alone: Georg-Trakl-Lieder

1. An den Knaben Elis [sung text not yet checked]

Language: German (Deutsch)

Elis, wenn die Amsel im schwarzen Wald ruft,
Dieses ist dein Untergang.
Deine Lippen trinken die Kühle des blauen Felsenquells.
 
Laß, wenn deine Stirne leise blutet
Uralte Legenden
Und dunkle Deutung des Vogelflugs.
 
Du aber gehst mit weichen Schritten in die Nacht,
Die voll purpurner Trauben hängt,
Und du regst die Arme schöner im Blau.
 
Ein Dornenbusch tönt,
Wo deine mondenen Augen sind.
O, wie lange bist, Elis, du verstorben.
 
Dein Leib ist eine Hyazinthe,
In die ein Mönch die wächsernen Finger taucht.
Eine schwarze Höhle ist unser Schweigen,
 
Daraus bisweilen ein sanftes Tier tritt
Und langsam die schweren Lider senkt.
Auf deine Schläfen tropft schwarzer Tau,

Das letzte Gold verfallener Sterne.

Text Authorship:

by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914), "An den Knaben Elis", appears in Sebastian im Traum, in Sebastian im Traum

See other settings of this text.

by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914)

1. To the boy Elis

Language: English

Elis, when the blackbird calls in the black wood, 
you are doomed. 
Your lips sip the coolness of the blue rock spring. 

Refrain, when your forehead softly bleeds 
ancient legends 
and a cryptic reading of the auspices. 

You, however, step softly into the night,
that is heavy with purple grapes, 
and you move your arms more beautifully in the blue.

A thorn bush sounds, 
where your moon eyes are.
O, how long, Elis, you have been dead.

Your body is a hyacinth,
into which a monk dips his waxen fingers.
A black cave is our silence, 

from which at times a soft animal steps 
and slowly lowers its heavy eyelids. 
On your temples black dew drips, 

the last gold of collapsing stars.

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), "An den Knaben Elis", 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: 2018-11-20
Line count: 19
Word count: 123

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann

2. Elis 1 [sung text not yet checked]

Language: German (Deutsch)

Vollkommen ist die Stille dieses goldenen Tags.
Unter alten Eichen
Erscheinst du, Elis, ein Ruhender mit runden Augen.
 
Ihre Bläue spiegelt den Schlummer der Liebenden.
An deinem Mund
Verstummten ihre rosigen Seufzer.
 
Am Abend zog der Fischer die schweren Netze ein.
Ein guter Hirt
Führt seine Herde am Waldsaum hin.
O! wie gerecht sind, Elis, alle deine Tage.
 
Leise sinkt
An kahlen Mauern des Ölbaums blaue Stille,
Erstirbt eines Greisen dunkler Gesang.
 
Ein goldener Kahn
Schaukelt, Elis, dein Herz am einsamen Himmel.

Text Authorship:

by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914), no title, appears in Sebastian im Traum, in Sebastian im Traum, in Elis, no. 1

See other settings of this text.

Confirmed with Deutsche Lyrik seit Liliencron, herausgegeben von Hans Bethge, Leipzig: Hesse & Becker Verlag, 1921, pp. 254-255.

by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914)

Language: English

Immaculate is the stillness of this golden day.
Under ancient oak trees
you appear, Elis, reposing one and round your eyes.

Their blueness mirrors the lovers’ slumber.
On your lips
her rosy sighs grew mute.

In the evening the fisherman hauled in the heavy nets.
A caring shepherd
leads his flock along the forest edge.
O! How righteous, Elis, are all your days.

Softly sinks
along bleak walls the olive tree’s blue stillness;
an old man’s dark song dies away,

A golden boat,
Elis, cradles your heart in the lonesome sky.

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), no title, appears in Sebastian im Traum, in Sebastian im Traum, in Elis, no. 1
- Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view

This text was added to the website: 2016-06-26
Line count: 15
Word count: 91

3. Elis 2 [sung text not yet checked]

Language: German (Deutsch)

Ein sanftes Glockenspiel tönt in Elis' Brust
Am Abend,
Da sein Haupt ins schwarze Kissen sinkt.
 
Ein blaues Wild
Blutet leise im Dornengestrüpp.
 
Ein brauner Baum steht abgeschieden da;
Seine blauen Früchte fielen von ihm.
 
Zeichen und Sterne
Versinken leise im Abendweiher.
 
Hinter dem Hügel ist es Winter geworden.
 
Blaue Tauben
Trinken nachts den eisigen Schweiß,
Der von Elis' kristallener Stirne rinnt.
 
Immer tönt
An schwarzen Mauern Gottes einsamer Wind.

Text Authorship:

by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914), no title, appears in Sebastian im Traum, in Sebastian im Traum, in Elis, no. 2

Go to the general single-text view

Confirmed with Deutsche Lyrik seit Liliencron, herausgegeben von Hans Bethge, Leipzig: Hesse & Becker Verlag, 1921, p 255.

by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914)

3. Elis 2

Language: English

A gentle glockenspiel rings in Elis' breast 
in the evening, 
when his head sinks into the black pillow.

 
A blue deer 
softly bleeds in the thorn bush. 

A brown tree stands there in isolation; 
its blue fruits have fallen from it. 

Signs and stars 
silently sink in the evening pond. 

Beyond the hill it has turned winter. 

At night blue doves 
drink the icy sweat 
that runs from Elis' crystal brow. 

Forever
God's lonely wind wails along black walls.

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), no title, appears in Sebastian im Traum, in Sebastian im Traum, in Elis, no. 2
- Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view

Translation of title "Elis 2" = "Elis 2"

This text was added to the website: 2018-11-20
Line count: 15
Word count: 79