by Hans Bethge (1876 - 1946)
Translation Singable translation by Mabelle Shapleigh (flourished 1898-1938)
Wenn nur ein Traum das Dasein ist
Language: German (Deutsch) after the French (Français)
Wenn nur ein Traum das [Dasein]1 ist, Warum denn Müh und Plag? Ich trinke, bis ich nicht mehr kann, Den ganzen, lieben Tag! Und wenn ich nicht mehr trinken kann, Weil [Leib und Kehle]2 voll, So tauml' ich [hin vor]3 meiner Tür Und schlafe wundervoll! Was hör ich beim Erwachen? Horch! Ein Vogel singt im Baum. Ich frag ihn, ob schon Frühling sei, Mir ist als wie im Traum. Der Vogel zwitschert: "Ja! Der Lenz [Sei]4 kommen über Nacht!" [Ich seufze tief ergriffen auf]5 Der Vogel singt und lacht! Ich fülle mir den Becher neu Und leer ihn bis zum Grund Und singe, bis der Mond erglänzt Am schwarzen Firmament! Und wenn ich nicht mehr singen kann, So schlaf ich wieder ein, Was geht [denn mich]6 der Frühling an!? Laßt mich betrunken sein!
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Mahler: "Leben"
2 Mahler: "Kehl und Seele"
3 Mahler: "bis zu"
4 Mahler, Sjögren: "Ist da, sei"
5 Mahler: "Aus tiefstem Schauen lausch ich auf,"
6 Mahler: "mich denn"
Text Authorship:
- by Hans Bethge (1876 - 1946), "Der Trinker im Frühling", appears in Die chinesische Flöte [an adaptation] [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Marie Jean Léon, Marquis d'Hervey-Saint-Denys (1823 - 1892), "Un jour de printemps" [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Chinese (中文) by Li-Tai-Po (701 - 762), "春日醉起言志"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Hans Altmann (1904 - 1961), "Der Trinker im Frühling", op. 24 no. 5, published c1963 [ voice and piano ], from 7 Lieder aus Die chinesische Flöte, no. 5 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Felicitas Kukuck (1914 - 2001), "Der Trinker im Frühling", 1969 [ chorus ], from Lieder zum Lobe des Weines, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gustav Mahler (1860 - 1911), "Der Trunkene im Frühling", 1908, from Das Lied von der Erde, no. 5 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by (Johan Gustaf) Emil Sjögren (1853 - 1918), "Wenn nur ein Traum das Dasein ist", op. 54 (Wenn nur ein Traum och Die geheimnisvolle Flöte) no. 1 (1911), published 1911 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by Herbert Allen Giles (1845 - 1935) ; composed by Cyril Meir Scott.
- Also set in English, a translation by Lawrence Kenneth Moss (1927 - 2022) , "On drinking wine!", written 2018, first published 2018, copyright © 2018 ; composed by Lawrence Kenneth Moss.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Alfred Henschke (1890 - 1928) , "Im Frühling", appears in Li Tai-pe ; composed by Emil Anner, Helmut Barbe.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "L'embriac a la primavera", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "The drunkard in Spring", copyright ©
- ENG English [singable] (Mabelle Shapleigh)
- FRE French (Français) [singable] (Michel Dimitri Calvocoressi)
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "L'ubriaco in primavera", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- POR Portuguese (Português) (Paulo Albuquerque de Noronha) , copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2004-01-16
Line count: 24
Word count: 139
If all our life is but a dream
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
If all our life is but a dream, O, why should cares oppress? Throughout the livelong day I drink and find my cares grow less. And when because my throat is full from drinking I must cease, I lay me down before my door and slumber full of peace! What hear I as I waken? Hark! A bird upon the tree. I ask him if the spring has come, for all's a dream to me. The bird then answers, "Yes, the spring came softly in the night." And deeply moved I heave a sigh, the bird but mocks my plight. Again I fill the goblet full, Again I drain it dry. And sing then till the moon appears within the inky sky. And when I can no longer sing, I sink in dreams divine. What matters spring itself to me, so I am steeped in wine!
About the headline (FAQ)
From the Sjögren edition.Text Authorship:
- Singable translation by Mabelle Shapleigh (flourished 1898-1938) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Hans Bethge (1876 - 1946), "Der Trinker im Frühling", appears in Die chinesische Flöte [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Marie Jean Léon, Marquis d'Hervey-Saint-Denys (1823 - 1892), "Un jour de printemps" [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Chinese (中文) by Li-Tai-Po (701 - 762), "春日醉起言志"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2008-02-11
Line count: 24
Word count: 146