Grief and Solace

Song Cycle by Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874)

View original-language texts alone: Trauer und Trost

1. Trauer
 (Sung text)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ich wandle einsam,
Mein Weg ist lang;
Zum Himmel schau ich
Hinauf so bang.

Kein Stern von oben
Blickt niederwärts,
Glanzlos der Himmel,
Dunkel mein Herz.

Mein Herz und der Himmel
Hat gleiche Noth,
Sein Glanz ist erloschen,
Mein Lieb ist todt.

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Confirmed with Gedichte von Peter Cornelius, eingeleitet von Adolf Stern, Leipzig, C. F. Kahnt Nachfolger, 1890, page 128. Modern German would spell "Noth" as "Not" and "todt" as "tot".


by Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874)
1. Grief
Language: English 
I wander alone,
my way is long;
toward the heavens I stare
apprehensively.

No star above
gazes down;
the sky is dull
and my heart is troubled.

My heart and the sky
have the same grief:
its luster has gone out;
my love is dead.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 45

Translation © by Emily Ezust
2. Angedenken
 (Sung text)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Von stillem Ort,
Von kühler Statt
Nahm ich mit fort
Ein Epheublatt.

Ein Requiem
Tönt leis und matt,
So oft ich nehm
Zur Hand das Blatt.

Wenn aller Schmerz
Geendet hat,
Legt mir auf's Herz
Das Epheublatt.

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by Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874)
2. Remembrance
Language: English 
From a quiet place,
from a cool place,
I [carry]1 away 
an ivy leaf.

I hear a requiem,
soft and weak,
whenever I pick up
that leaf.

When all my sorrow
has ended,
lay this leaf
upon my heart.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


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View original text (without footnotes)
1 Cornelius: "carried" (song)


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 40

Translation © by Emily Ezust
3. Ein Ton
 (Sung text)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Mir klingt ein Ton so wunderbar
In Herz und Sinnen immerdar.
Ist es der Hauch, der Dir entschwebt,
Als einmal noch Dein Mund gebebt?
Ist es des Glöckleins trüber Klang,
Der Dir gefolgt den Weg entlang?
Mir klingt der Ton so voll und rein,
Als schlöß er Deine Seele ein.
Als stiegest liebend nieder Du
Und sängest meinen Schmerz in Ruh.

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Confirmed with Gedichte von Peter Cornelius, eingeleitet von Adolf Stern, Leipzig, C. F. Kahnt Nachfolger, 1890, page 130.


by Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874)
3.
[Translation not yet available]
4. An den Traum
 (Sung text)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Öffne mir die goldne Pforte,
Traum, zu deinem Wunderhain,
Was mir blühte und verdorrte,
Laß mir blühend neu gedeihn.
Zeige mir die heil'gen Orte
Meiner Wonne, meiner Pein,
Laß mich lauschen holdem Worte,
Liebesstrahlen saugen ein,
Öffne mir die goldne Pforte,
Traum, o laß mich glücklich sein!

Text Authorship:

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Confirmed with Gedichte von Peter Cornelius, eingeleitet von Adolf Stern, Leipzig, C. F. Kahnt Nachfolger, 1890, page 131.


by Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874)
4. To Dreams
Language: English 
Open for me the golden gate 
to your wondrous grove, o Dreams;
whatever blossomed and wilted for me,
let it bloom afresh for me.
Show me those sacred places
of my bliss, my pain;
let me listen to lovely words
and drink deeply of these rays of love.
Open the golden gate for me,
Dreams; o let me be happy!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


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Translator's note: although the word "Traum" is singular, which would make the title literally be "To the Dream", in English this would denote a specific dream rather than the intended abstract idea of the experience of dreaming, so the plural form is used to express this.



This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 10
Word count: 60

Translation © by Emily Ezust
5. Treue
 (Sung text)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Dein Gedenken lebt in Liedern fort;
Lieder, die der tiefsten Brust entwallen,
Sagen mir: Du lebst in ihnen allen,
Und gewiß die Lieder halten Wort.

Dein Gedenken blüht in Thränen fort;
Thränen, aus des Herzens Heiligthume
Nähren thauend der Erinnrung Blume,
In dem Tau blüht dein Gedenken fort.

Dein Gedenken lebt in Träumen fort;
Träume, die Dein Bild verklärt mir zeigen,
Sagen, daß Du ewig bist mein eigen,
Und gewiß, die Träume halten Wort.

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by Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874)
5. Fidelity
Language: English 
Your memory lives on in songs -
songs which bubble up from the depths of the heart;
they tell me that you live in all of them
and certainly, songs keep their word.

Your memory blossoms on in tears -
tears from the sanctuary of the heart
nourished with the dew of memory's blossom;
in that dew your memory blossoms on.

Your memory lives on in dreams -
dreams which show me your transfigured image
and say that you are eternally mine;
and certainly, dreams keep their word.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 85

Translation © by Emily Ezust
6. Trost
 (Sung text)
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Der Glückes Fülle mir verlieh'n
  Und Hochgesang,
Nun auch in Schmerzen preis' ich ihn 
  Mein Leben lang.
Mir sei ein sichres Himmelspfand,
  Was ich verlor,
Mich führt der Schmerz an starker Hand
  Zu ihm empor.
Wenn ich in Wonnen bang beklagt
  Den Flug der Zeit,
In Schmerzen hat mir hell getagt
  Unsterblichkeit.

Text Authorship:

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Confirmed with Gedichte von Peter Cornelius, eingeleitet von Adolf Stern, Leipzig, C. F. Kahnt Nachfolger, 1890, page 133.


by Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874)
6. Solace
Language: English 
I praise the one who gave me great happiness
and lofty song;
even in sorrow I will praise him
my whole life long.
To me, what I have lost is
a certain heavenly pledge;
Sorrow leads me by a strong hand
to Him above.
If in my bliss I apprehensively deplored
the flight of time,
in grief, I meet brightly the arrival of 
immortality.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 64

Translation © by Emily Ezust