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Ach Elselein, liebes Elselein mein, Wie gern wär ich bei dir; So sind zwei tiefe Wasser, Wohl zwischen dir und mir. Willt du dich lassen abwenden drum, Weil sind der Wasser zwei, Da doch sonst mancher stolzer Knab Leidt noch so mancherlei. Ach Lieb, das schrecket mich allein, Daß ich nicht fahren kann, Und wenn dann bräch das Schiffelein, Müßt ich bald [untergahn]1. Ach nein, das soll geschehen nit, Ich selbst helf rudern dir, Damit du nur in kurzer Zeit, Herzliebster kommst zu mir. Weil du's, schöns Lieb, denn meinst so gut, Will ich's gleich wagen frei, Allein das bitt' ich fleißig dich, Steh mir ohn' Falschheit bei.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Deutsche Volkslieder mit ihren Original-Weisen, ed. by Andreas Kretzschmer, Berlin, Vereins-Buchhandlung, 1838, page 32. The first of three in an unnamed set. The second is here and the third is here.
1 Brahms: "untergehn"Authorship
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)
- by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Die beiden Königskinder", WoO. 32 no. 15 (1858), published 1926 [ voice and piano ], from Deutsche Volkslieder, no. 15, Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Johann Diebold (1842 - 1929), "Herzliebstes Elselein", op. 32 (Sechs Lieder für vierstimmigen Männerchor) no. 2, published 1890 [ four-part men's chorus a cappella ], Leipzig, Schuberth & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert Franz (1815 - 1892), "Ach! Elslein, liebes Elselein mein", published 1875 [ voice and piano ], from Sechs deutsche Lieder aus dem 15 u. 16 Jh, no. 5, Leipzig, Leuckart [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ferdinand von Hiller (1811 - 1885), "Zwei Wasser", op. 61 (Sechs volkstümliche Lieder für 2 Singstimmen mit Pianoforte (ad lib.), 2tes Heft) no. 4, published 1854 [ vocal duet with piano ], Offenbach, André; note: this may be the wrong text for this title [sung text not yet checked]
- by Eduard Lassen (1830 - 1904), "Zwei Wasser", published 1904 [ voice and piano ], from Aus des Knaben Wunderhorn : alte Minneweisen und Volkslieder : für eine Singstimme mit Klavierbegleitung bearbeitet von Eduard Lassen, no. 7, note: with many variants not noted [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Laura Prichard) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Ah Elsa, ma chère Elsa", copyright © 2013, (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: 20
Word count: 108
Ah Elsa, ma chère Elsa, Comme j'aimerais être près de toi ; Mais il y a deux profondes étendues d' eau Entre toi et moi. Vas-tu te laisser détourner de moi Parce qu'il y a deux étendues d'eau ; Mais par ailleurs, il y a là certain fier garçon Qui souffre de toutes sortes de choses. Ah mon amour, c'est juste que je suis effrayée De ne pas savoir naviguer, Et si l'esquif venait à se briser, Je serais bien vite naufragée. Ah non, cela ne peut arriver, Moi-même, je t'aiderai à ramer, Ainsi dans le plus bref délai, Mon cher cœur, tu viendras à moi. Mon amour, parce que tu parles si bien, Je vais immédiatement oser, Tout ce qu'instamment je te demande, C'est de rester près de moi sans fausseté.
Authorship
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2013 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.
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- a text in German (Deutsch) from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , no title
This text was added to the website: 2013-04-21
Line count: 20
Word count: 132