by Hermann Rollett (1819 - 1904)
Translation © by David Kenneth Smith

Geheimes Flüstern hier und dort
 (Sung text for setting by C. Schumann)
 See original
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  ENG FRE
 ... 

Geheimes Flüstern hier und dort,
Verborgnes Quellenrauschen --
O Wald, o Wald, geweihter Ort,
Laß mich des Lebens reinstes Wort,
in Zweig und Blatt belauschen!

Und schreit' ich in den Wald hinaus,
Da grüßen mich die Bäume.
Du liebes, freies Gotteshaus,
Du schließest mich mit Sturmgebraus
In deine kühlen Räume!

 ... 

Was leise mich umschwebt, umklingt, --
Ich will es treu bewahren,
Und was mir tief zum Herzen dringt,
Will ich, vom Geist der Lieb' beschwingt,
In Liedern offenbaren!

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 3,1,4 of the original text.

Note: Clara Schumann switches the stanzas around; her setting begins "Geheimes Flüstern hier und dort".

Composition:

    Set to music by Clara Schumann (1819 - 1896), "Geheimes Flüstern hier und dort", op. 23 no. 3, published 1856, stanzas 3,1,4 [ voice and piano ], from Sechs Lieder, no. 3, Leipzig, Breitkopf und Härtel
        Score: IMSLP [external link]

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

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

  • ENG English (David Kenneth Smith) , "Soft, secret whispers here and there", copyright © 1996, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Chuchotements secrets ici et là", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


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

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 103

Soft, secret whispers here and there
 (Sung text translation for setting by C. Schumann)
 See original
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
 ... 

Soft, secret whispers here and there,
and springs with hidden murmurs,
o wood, o wood, o sacred spot,
o let me hear life's purest word
in ev'ry twig and leaflet!

And striding out into the wood,
I'm greeted by the saplings,
the dear and open house of God,
Embracing me with roaring storm
In your refreshing spaces!

 ... 

What ever soars and sings 'round me,
I will preserve it truly,
what ever pierces deep my heart,
I will, by Love's own spirit borne,
by singing songs reveal it.

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 3,1,4 of the original text.

Note: this is a translation of the stanzas used in Clara Schumann's setting. If you are viewing this as a single translation, you will need to re-order the stanzas to match her sung text. If you're viewing the aggregation of the translation of all the songs in the collection, they have already been reordered for you.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 1996 by David Kenneth Smith, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., please ask the copyright-holder(s) directly.

    David Kenneth Smith.  Contact: dksmith (AT) geneva.edu


    If the copyright-holder(s) are unreachable for three business days, please write to:


Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 92