by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)
Translation © by Salvador Pila

Valse brillante
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT ENG FRE
Ein Tanz von Chopin lärmt im Saal,
Ein wilder, zügelloser Tanz.
Die Fenster leuchten wetterfahl,
Den Flügel ziert ein welker Kranz.

Den Flügel du, die Geige ich,
So spielen wir und enden nicht
Und warten angstvoll, du und ich,
Wer wohl zuerst den Zauber bricht.

Wer wohl zuerst einhält im Takt
Und von sich weg die Lichter schiebt,
Und wer zuerst die Frage sagt,
Auf die es keine Antwort gibt.

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada and the U.S., but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, pages 66-67.


Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Valse brillante", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Valse brillante", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Valse brillante", copyright © 2017, (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: 2009-06-02
Line count: 12
Word count: 70

Valse brillante
Language: Catalan (Català)  after the German (Deutsch) 
Una dansa de Chopin ressona a la sala,
una dansa salvatge, desenfrenada.
Les finestres resplendeixen, esmorteïdes pel temps,
el piano està ornat amb una garlanda marcida.

Tu toques el piano,  jo el violí,
toquem i toquem sense parar,
i esperem ansiosament, tu i jo,
per veure qui trencarà primer el sortilegi.

Qui serà el primer a deturar el compàs
i a allunyar les llums d'ell mateix,
i qui serà el primer a fer la pregunta
a la qual no hi ha resposta.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to Catalan (Català) copyright © 2026 by Salvador Pila, (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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This text was added to the website: 2026-02-14
Line count: 12
Word count: 82