by Johann Ludwig Uhland (1787 - 1862)
Translation © by Gianni Franceschi

Das Schifflein
 (Sung text for setting by C. Kreutzer)
 See original
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE ITA
Ein Schifflein ziehet leise
Den Strom hin seine Gleise.
Es schweigen, die drin wandern,
Denn keiner kennt den Andern.

Was zieht hier aus dem Felle
Der braune Weidgeselle?
Ein Horn, das sanft erschallet;
Das Ufer widerhallet.

Von seinem Wanderstabe
Schraubt jener Stift und Habe,
Und mischt mit Flötentönen
Sich in des Hornes Dröhnen.

Das Mädchen saß so blöde,
Als fehlt' ihr gar die Rede,
Jetzt stimmt sie mit Gesange
Zu Horn und Flötenklange.

Die Rudrer auch  sich regen
Mit taktgemäßen Schlägen.
Das Schiff hinunter flieget,
Von Melodie gewieget.

Hart stößt es auf am Strande,
Man trennt sich in die Lande:
Wann treffen wir uns, Brüder?
Auf einem Schifflein wieder?

Note: Josephine Lang composed two different unpublished settings of this text, neither of which is dated. The setting with only one manuscript has been designated "first setting" and the one with four manuscript versions has been designated "second setting." In the first setting the last line of stanza 5 is not in the score, although there vocal notes to which it could fit. For the second setting, footnotes have been provided for V4 only.

Composition:

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "La barqueta", copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Het scheepje", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The little ship", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Le petit bateau", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Gianni Franceschi) , "La barchetta", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 118

Language: Italian (Italiano)  after the German (Deutsch) 
Una barchetta percorre piano il fiume
Lasciando la sua scia;
Tacciono quelli che ci viaggiano
Poiché nessuno conosce gli altri.
 
Cosa tira fuori dalla pelliccia
Il cacciatore bruno?
Un corno che risuona dolcemente,
E la costa echeggia.
 
Dal suo bastone da viandante,
un altro svita punta ed impugnatura
e si mescola con suoni di flauto
Al rimbombare del corno.
 
La fanciulla sedeva stupefatta	
Come se, addirittura, le mancasse la parola,
Ora si intona col canto
Ai suoni del corno e del flauto.
 
Anche i rematori si muovono
Con movimenti ritmici;
La barchetta vola sotto di loro,
Cullata dalle melodie.
 
Di colpo urta la riva,
a terra ci si separa:
"Quando ci incontreremo ancora, fratelli,
Su una barchetta?"

Note for stanza 3, line 2: L'espressione si riferisce ad un particolare tipo di strumenti "da passeggio", di moda a partire dalla fine del Settecento: si trattava di bastoni da viaggio dalla forma particolare, che potevano contenere al loro interno un flauto (Stockflöte) o l'arco di un violino le cui corde si trovavano disposte lungo il corpo stesso del bastone (Stockgeige).

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to Italian (Italiano) copyright © 2008 by Gianni Franceschi, (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:

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This text was added to the website: 2008-09-03
Line count: 24
Word count: 117