The snow is melting

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by Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776)

Translation © by Malcolm Wren

Mailied

(Sung text for setting by F. Mendelssohn)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT ENG FRE ITA

Der Schnee zerrinnt,
Der Mai beginnt,
Und Blüten keimen 
Auf Gartenbäumen,
Und Vogelschall
Tönt überall.

Pflückt einen Kranz,
Und haltet Tanz
Auf grünen Auen, 
Ihr schönen Frauen, 
Wo grüne Main 
Uns Kühlung streun.

Wer weiß, wie bald
Die Klocke schallt,
Da wir des Maien 
Uns nicht mehr freuen:
Wer weiß, wie bald
Die Klocke schallt!

Drum werdet froh! 
Gott will es so,
Der uns dies Leben
Zur Lust gegeben! 
Genießt der Zeit, 
Die Gott verleiht!

This is Hölty's poem in its version posthumously printed in the editions edited by Voß. Hölty's original version differs in several verses (see below).

Note: Modern spelling would change "Klocke" to "Glocke".

Composition:

Felix Mendelssohn

Text Authorship:

by Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776), "Mailied", written 1773, Göttinger Musenalmanach 1776, page 24, first published 1776

See other settings of this text.

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

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Si scioglie la neve", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2010-03-27
Line count: 24
Word count: 78

May song

(Sung text translation for setting by F. Mendelssohn)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

The snow is melting,
May is beginning,
The blossoms are sprouting
On the trees in the garden
And the sound of birds
Can be heard everywhere.

Pluck a garland
And hold a dance
On the green meadow
You beautiful women,
Where young May blossoms
Strew coolness over us.

Who knows how soon
The bell will toll!
Then in May we 
Shall no longer be able to have fun.
Who knows how soon
The bell will toll!

So, be happy!
God wills it thus,
He who gave us this life,
A life given to us for enjoyment!
Enjoy the time
That God has made available!

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 by Malcolm Wren, (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 Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776), "Mailied", written 1773, Göttinger Musenalmanach 1776, page 24, first published 1776
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This text was added to the website: 2016-09-11
Line count: 24
Word count: 104