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by Adolf Friedrich, Graf von Schack (1815 - 1894)
Translation © by Pierre Mathé

Serenade
 (Sung text for setting by J. Brahms)
 See original
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE
Leise, um dich nicht zu wecken,
Rauscht der Nachtwind, teure Frau!
Leise in das Marmorbecken
Gießt der Brunnen seinen Tau.

Wie das Wasser, niedertropfend,
Kreise neben Kreise zieht,
Also zittert, leise klopfend,
Mir das Herz bei diesem Lied.

Schwingt euch, Töne meiner Zither,
Schwingt euch aufwärts, flügelleicht;
Durch das rebumkränzte Gitter
In der Schönen Kammer schleicht.

»Ist denn, liebliche Dolores«,
Also singt in ihren Traum -
»In der Muschel deines Ohres
Für kein Perlenwörtchen Raum?

 ... 

O dem Freund nur eine Stunde,
Wo dein Arm ihn heiß umschlingt,
Und der Kuß von deinem Munde
Feurig bis ans Herz ihm dringt!

Hast du ihn so ganz vergessen?
Einsam harrt er am Balkon,
Überm Wipfel der Zypressen
Bleicht des Mondes Sichel schon.

Wie das Wasser, niedertropfend,
Kreise neben Kreise zieht,
Also zittert, leise klopfend,
Ihm das Herz bei diesem Lied.«

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-4,7-9 of the original text.

Composition:

    Set to music by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Serenade", op. 58 no. 8, published 1872, stanzas 1-4,7-9 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Rieter-Biedermann

Text Authorship:

  • by Adolf Friedrich, Graf von Schack (1815 - 1894), "Serenade", appears in Gedichte, in 2. Aus allen Zonen

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Serenade", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , no title, copyright © 1998
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Sérénade", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 36
Word count: 177

Sérénade
 (Sung text translation for setting by J. Brahms)
 See original
Language: French (Français)  after the German (Deutsch) 
Doucement, pour ne pas te réveiller,
Le vent de la nuit murmure, chère femme !
Doucement dans la vasque de marbre
La fontaine verse sa rosée.

Comme l'eau tombant goutte à goutte
Dessine cercle après cercle,
Palpitant doucement, mon cœur
Tremble à cette chanson.

Vibrez, notes de ma cithare,
Envolez-vous, comme une aile légère,
Par la grille couronnée de vigne,
Glissez-vous dans la chambre de la belle.

« N'y a-t-il point, chère Dolorès --
Ainsi chantez-vous dans son rêve --
Dans le coquillage de ton oreille
De place pour des mots de perle ?

 ... 

Ô une heure seulement  pour l'ami
Là où ton bras brûlant l'a enlacé,
Et le baiser de ta bouche
Pénètre son cœur comme le feu.

L'as-tu donc complètement oublié ?
Solitaire, il attend près du balcon,
Par-dessus la cime des cyprès
Le croissant de lune pâlit déjà.

Comme l'eau tombant goutte à goutte
Dessine cercle après cercle,
Gouttant doucement, son cœur
Tremble à cette chanson. »

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-4,7-9 of the original text.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2011 by Pierre Mathé, (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 Adolf Friedrich, Graf von Schack (1815 - 1894), "Serenade", appears in Gedichte, in 2. Aus allen Zonen
    • Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2011-10-25
Line count: 36
Word count: 201

Gentle Reminder

This website began in 1995 as a personal project by Emily Ezust, who has been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your help is greatly appreciated!
–Emily Ezust, Founder

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