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Poor Peter
Song Cycle by Peter Emile Gohr (1842 - 1899)
View original-language texts alone: Der arme Peter
Der Hans und die Grete tanzen herum, Und jauchzen vor lauter Freude. Der Peter steht so still und [stumm]1, Und ist so blaß wie Kreide. Der Hans und die Grete sind Bräut'gam und Braut, Und blitzen im Hochzeitgeschmeide. Der arme Peter die Nägel kaut Und geht im Werkeltagskleide. Der Peter spricht leise vor sich her, Und [schaut]2 betrübet auf Beide: « Ach! wenn ich nicht gar zu vernünftig wär', Ich [thät']3 mir was zu Leide.»
Text Authorship:
- by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Junge Leiden, in Romanzen, in 4. Der arme Peter, no. 1
See other settings of this text.
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Buch der Lieder von Heinrich Heine, zweiundfünfzigste Auflage (52nd edition), Hamburg, Hoffmann und Campe, 1882, page 52.
1 Schumann: "so stumm"2 Schumann: "schauet"
3 Schumann: "thäte"; modernized spelling would be "täte"
Hans and Grete dance around and cheer with loud joy. Peter stands so still and mute, and is as pale as chalk. Hans and Grete are bride and groom, flashing in their wedding clothes. Poor Peter bites his nails and goes about in workday clothes. Peter speaks softly to himself, gazing gloomily at the pair: Ah, if I weren't so sensible, I might do myself harm.
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 -- https://www.lieder.net/For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Junge Leiden, in Romanzen, in 4. Der arme Peter, no. 1
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: 66
"In meiner Brust, da sitzt ein Weh, Das will die Brust zersprengen; Und wo ich steh' und wo ich geh', Will's mich von hinnen drängen. "Es treibt mich nach der Liebsten Näh', Als könnt die Grete heilen; Doch wenn ich der ins Auge seh', Muß ich von hinnen eilen. "Ich steig' hinauf des Berges Höh', Dort ist man doch alleine; Und wenn ich still dort oben steh', Dann steh' ich still und weine."
Text Authorship:
- by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Junge Leiden, in Romanzen, in 4. Der arme Peter, no. 2
See other settings of this text.
Confirmed with Buch der Lieder von Heinrich Heine, zweiundfünfzigste Auflage (52nd edition), Hamburg, Hoffmann und Campe, 1882, pages 52-53.
"Within my heart there lies an ache that will break my heart apart; wherever I stay, wherever I go, it is always pushing me onward. "It drives me to my beloved's presence, as if Grete could heal it; but when I look her in the eye, I must hurry away from there. "I climb to the heights of the mountain, for there one can be alone; and when I stay up there silently, then I stand mutely and weep."
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 -- https://www.lieder.net/For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Junge Leiden, in Romanzen, in 4. Der arme Peter, no. 2
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: 79
Der arme Peter wankt vorbei, Gar langsam, leichenblaß und scheu. Es bleiben fast, wie sie ihn sehn, Die Leute auf der Straße stehn. Die Mädchen flüstern sich ins Ohr: "Der stieg wohl aus dem Grab hervor?" Ach nein, ihr lieben Jungfräulein, Der steigt erst [ins]1 Grab hinein. Er hat verloren seinen Schatz, Drum ist das Grab der beste Platz, Wo er am besten liegen mag Und schlafen bis zum jüngsten Tag.
Text Authorship:
- by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Junge Leiden, in Romanzen, in 4. Der arme Peter, no. 3
See other settings of this text.
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Buch der Lieder von Heinrich Heine, zweiundfünfzigste Auflage (52nd edition), Hamburg, Hoffmann und Campe, 1882, page 53.
1 Schumann: "in das"Poor Peter staggers past, quite slowly, as pale as a corpse, and shy. When they see him, the people in the street almost stop in their tracks. Maidens whisper in one another's ears: "Surely he has risen from the grave!" But no, dear young girls, he has not yet climbed into his grave. He has lost his love; therefore the grave is the best place for him. There he might best lie and sleep until Judgment Day.
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 -- https://www.lieder.net/For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Junge Leiden, in Romanzen, in 4. Der arme Peter, no. 3
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: 77