4 Songs on texts by Georg Trakl

Translations © by Bertram Kottmann

Song Cycle by Wolfgang Nening (b. 1966)

View original-language texts alone: 4 Lieder nach Texten von Georg Trakl

1. Delirium  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Der schwarze Schnee, der von den Dächern rinnt;
Ein roter Finger taucht in deine Stirne
Ins kahle Zimmer sinken blaue Firne,
Die Liebender erstorbene Spiegel sind.
In schwere Stücke bricht das Haupt und sinnt
Den Schatten nach im Spiegel blauer Firne,
Dem kalten Lächeln einer toten Dirne.
In Nelkendüften weint der Abendwind.

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914)
1. Delirium
Language: English 
The black snow flowing down the roofs -
a scarlet finger dips into your forehead,
blue firns sink into the bleak room,
that are the lovers’ tarnished mirrors.
The head breaks into heavy pieces - broods
on shadows mirrored by blue firns
and on the wintry smile of a dead whore.
The evening wind weeps in carnations' fragrance.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 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:

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2017-02-10
Line count: 8
Word count: 56

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann
2. Zu Abend mein Herz  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Am Abend hört man den Schrei der Fledermäuse.
Zwei Rappen springen auf der Wiese.
Der rote Ahorn rauscht.
Dem Wanderer erscheint die kleine Schenke am Weg.
Herrlich schmecken junger Wein und Nüsse.
Herrlich: betrunken zu taumeln in dämmernden Wald.
Durch schwarzes Geäst tönen schmerzliche Glocken.
Auf das Gesicht tropft Tau.

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914)
2. Towards evening my heart
Language: English 
In the evening one hears the cry of bats.
Two black horses leap in the meadow.
The scarlet maple rustles.
To the wanderer the small tavern appears along the way.
The young wine and the nuts taste gorgeous.
Gorgeous: to stagger drunken into the dusking woods.
Through black branches pain-ridden bells sound.
Dew drips on the face.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 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:

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2017-02-10
Line count: 8
Word count: 57

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann
3. Jahr  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Dunkle Stille der Kindheit. Unter grünenden Eschen
Weidet die Sanftmut bläulichen Blickes; goldene Ruh.
Ein Dunkles entzückt der Duft der Veilchen; schwankende Ähren
Im Abend, Samen und die goldenen Schatten der Schwermut.
Balken behaut der Zimmermann; im dämmernden Grund
Mahlt die Mühle; im Hasellaub wölbt sich ein purpurner Mund,
Männliches rot über schweigende Wasser geneigt.
Leise ist der Herbst, der Geist des Waldes; goldene Wolke
Folgt dem Einsamen, der schwarze Schatten des Enkels.
Neige in steinernem Zimmer; unter alten Zypressen
Sind der Tränen nächtige Bilder zum Quell versammelt;
Goldenes Auge des Anbeginns, dunkle Geduld des Endes.

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914)
3. Year
Language: English 
Dark stillness of childhood. Under greening ash trees 
the meekness grazes bluish-eyed; golden rest. 
A dark shape, beguiled by the scent of violets; swaying ears of corn 
in the evening, seed and the golden shadows of melancholy. 
The carpenter trims the beams; in the dusking valley 
the millstone grinds; a purple mouth bulges in hazel leaves, 
masculine, bent red over silent waters. 
Quiet is autumn, the spirit of the forest; a golden cloud 
follows the lonely one; the black shadow of the grandson. 
Decline in a stony chamber; under old cypress trees 
the tears’ nightly images are gathered in a well; 
golden eye of the beginning, dark patience of the end.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 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:

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2017-02-10
Line count: 12
Word count: 111

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann
4. De profundis  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Es ist ein Stoppelfeld, in das ein schwarzer Regen fällt.
Es ist ein brauner Baum, der einsam dasteht.
Es ist ein Zischelwind, der leere Hütten umkreist.
Wie traurig dieser Abend.

Am Weiler vorbei
Sammelt die sanfte Waise noch spärliche Ähren ein.
Ihre Augen weiden rund und goldig in der Dämmerung
Und ihr Schoß harrt des himmlischen Bräutigams.

Bei der Heimkehr
Fanden die Hirten den süßen Leib
Verwest im Dornenbusch.

Ein Schatten bin ich ferne finsteren Dörfern.
Gottes Schweigen
Trank ich aus dem Brunnen des Hains.

Auf meine Stirne tritt kaltes Metall
Spinnen suchen mein Herz.
Es ist ein Licht, das in meinem Mund erlöscht.

Nachts fand ich mich auf einer Heide,
Starrend von Unrat und Staub der Sterne.
Im Haselgebüsch
Klangen wieder kristallne Engel.

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914)
4. De profundis
Language: English 
There is a stubblefield onto which a black rain falls.
There is a brown tree that stands forlorn.
There is a hissing wind, that circles empty huts.
What a gloomy evening.

Past the hamlet
the meek orphan is still gleaning the sparsely remaining corn.
Her eyes graze - round, pure and golden in the dusk
and her womb waits for the heavenly groom.

On their way home
shepherds found the sweet body,
putrid in the thornbush.

A shadow am I, away from darksome villages.
God’s silence
I drank from the well in the grove.

Cold metal appears on my brow,
spiders look for my heart.
There is a light, that dies in my mouth.

At night I found myself on a heath
thick with filth and the dust of stars.
In the hazel bush
crystalline angels sounded again.

Text Authorship:

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

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2014-07-11
Line count: 21
Word count: 137

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann