Five Songs

Du hattest einen Glanz auf deiner Stirn,
und eine hohe Abendklarheit war,
und sahst nur immer weg von mir,
ins Licht, ins Licht -
und fern verscholl das Echo meines Aufschreis.

You had a radiance upon your brow,
and there was a lofty evening clarity,
and you only ever looked away from me,
into the light, into the light -
and far in the distance, the echo of my outcry died away.

Text Authorship:

• Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 by Sharon Krebs, (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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Based on:

• a text in German (Deutsch) by Richard Fedor Leopold Dehmel (1863 - 1920), "Ideale Landschaft", appears in Weib und Welt
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This text was added to the website: 2013-09-26
Line count: 5
Word count: 40

Die Welt verstummt, dein Blut erklingt;
    in seinen hellen Abgrund sinkt
            der ferne Tag,

er schaudert nicht; die Glut umschlingt
    das höchste Land, im Meere ringt
            die ferne Nacht,

sie zaudert nicht; der Flut entspringt
    ein Sternchen, deine Seele trinkt
            das ewige Licht.

The world falls silent, your blood begins to resound;
    into its bright abyss sinks
            the distant day,

it does not cringe; the glow embraces
    the highest land, in the sea wrestles
            the distant night,

the night does not falter; from the floodwaters springs forth
    a little star, your soul drinks
            the eternal light.

Text Authorship:

• Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 by Sharon Krebs, (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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
  
  

Based on:

• a text in German (Deutsch) by Richard Fedor Leopold Dehmel (1863 - 1920), "Am Ufer", appears in Weib und Welt, first published 1896
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This text was added to the website: 2017-10-17
Line count: 9
Word count: 53

Schwebst du nieder aus den Weiten, 
Nacht mit deinem Silberkranz?
Hebt in deine Ewigkeiten
mich des Dunkels milder Glanz?

Als ob Augen liebend winken:
alle Liebe sei enthüllt!
als ob Arme sehnend sinken:
alle Sehnsucht sei erfüllt -

strahlt ein Stern mir aus den Weiten,
alle Ängste fallen ab,
seligste Versunkenheiten,
strahlt und strahlt und will herab.

Und es treiben mich Gewalten
ihm entgegen, und er sinkt -
und ein Quellen, ein Entfalten
seines Scheines nimmt und bringt

und erlöst mich in die Zeiten,
da noch keine Menschen sahn,
wie durch Nächte Sterne gleiten,
wie den Seelen Rätsel nahn.

Do you [waft down]1 from the expanses,
night, with your silver wreath?
Does the mild radiance of darkness
lift me into your eternities?

As if eyes beckon lovingly:
may all love be unveiled!
as if arms sink yearningly:
may all yearning be fulfilled - 

[thus] a star shines for me from the distances --
all anxieties fall away,
most blissful immersions --
shines and shines and wishes to descend [to me].

And powerful forces drive me
towards [the star], and it sinks -
and a burgeoning, a blossoming 
of its radiance takes and gives

and redeems me into the times
when no people yet saw
how stars glide through nights,
how enigmas approach souls.

Text Authorship:

• Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 by Sharon Krebs, (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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
  
  

Based on:

• a text in German (Deutsch) by Richard Fedor Leopold Dehmel (1863 - 1920), "Himmelfahrt", appears in Weib und Welt
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¹ Ansorge: "sink"
Note: Ansorge may have other textual changes not noted.

This text was added to the website: 2017-10-17
Line count: 20
Word count: 110

Zaghaft vom Gewölk ins Land
    fließt des Lichtes Flut
aus des Mondes bleicher Hand,
    dämpft mir alle Glut.

Ein verirrter Schimmer schwebt
  durch den Wald zum Fluß,
  und das dunkle Wasser bebt
      unter seinem Kuß.

Hörst du, Herz? die Welle lallt:
      küsse, küsse mich!
Und mit zaghafter Gewalt,
    Mädchen, küsse, ich dich.

Tentatively from the clouds into the land
    flows the flood of light
from out the moon’s pale hand,
    damping all my fervour.

A stray shimmer wafts
  through the forest to the river,
  and the dark water trembles
      at its kiss.

Do you hear, [love]1? the wave babbles:
      kiss, kiss me!
And with tentative force,
    [Pale one,]2 I kiss you.

Text Authorship:

• Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 by Sharon Krebs, (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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
  
  

Based on:

• a text in German (Deutsch) by Richard Fedor Leopold Dehmel (1863 - 1920), "Nächtliche Scheu", appears in Erlösungen; eine Seelenwandlung in Gedichte und Sprüche
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¹ Webern: "heart"
² Webern: "Maiden"

This text was added to the website: 2017-10-17
Line count: 12
Word count: 59

Weich küßt die Zweige
der weiße Mond.
Ein Flüstern wohnt
im Laub, als neige,
als schweige sich der Hain zur Ruh:
Geliebte du --

Der Weiher ruht, und
die Weide schimmert.
Ihr Schatten flimmert
in seiner Flut, und
der Wind weint in den Bäumen:
wir träumen -- träumen --

Die Weiten leuchten
Beruhigung.
Die Niederung
hebt bleich den feuchten
Schleier hin zum Himmelssaum:
o hin -- o Traum -- --

Softly the white moon 
kisses the branches.
A whispering dwells
in the foliage, as if the grove
were inclining, were silencing itself to rest:
Beloved thou --

The pond [rests]1, and
the willow shimmers.
Its shadow flickers 
in [the pond’s] waters, and
the wind weeps in the trees:
we dream -- [dream]2 --

The [vast expanses]3 shine
a calming.
The shallow valley
palely lifts its damp
veil toward the border of heaven:
oh to be there -- oh dream -- --

Text Authorship:

• Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 by Sharon Krebs, (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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
  
  

Based on:

• a text in German (Deutsch) by Richard Fedor Leopold Dehmel (1863 - 1920), "Helle Nacht", appears in Weib und Welt [an adaptation]
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Based on:

• a text in French (Français) by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), no title, appears in La bonne chanson, no. 6, first published 1870
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¹ Grimm: "calls"
² Grimm, Reger: "we dream"
³ Grimm: "worlds"

This text was added to the website: 2017-10-17
Line count: 18
Word count: 76