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SONG TRANSLATIONS

Ständchen

Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

My songs gently plead

Through the night to you

Down into the quiet grove

Sweetheart, come to me!

 

The slender treetop whisperingly rustle

In the moon light,

The hostile traitors listen

But, fear not

 

Do you hear the nightingales coo?

Ah! They are begging you

With their tones sweet in complain

They plead to you for me

 

They understand my heart’s desires

they know the pain of love

they stir with silver tones

each soft heart

 

Let your heart, too, be moved!

Sweetheart, hear me!

Trembling, I await you!

Come, make me happy!
 

Gretchen am Spinnrade

Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

My peace is gone, My heart is heavy,

I will never find it and never more.

 

Where I do not have him, that is the grave,

The whole world becomes bitter to me.

 

My poor head is crazy to me,

my poor mind is torn apart.

 

My peace is gone, my heart is heavy,

I will never find it and never more.

 

For him only do I look out the window

Only for him do I go out of the house.

 

His tall walk, his noble figure,

His mouth's smile, his eyes' power,

 

And his mouth's magic flows,

His handclaps, and ah!  His kiss!

 

My peace is gone, my heart is heavy,

I will never find it and never more.

 

My bosom urges itself toward him.

Ah, might I grasp and hold him!

 

And kiss him back, as I would wish,

On his kisses should I pass away

Nacht und Träume

Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

Holy night, you sink down

Down floats, the dream as well

How your moon shines through the room

Through the people’s quiet, quiet chests

They listen to you with passion

Call when the day awakens

Turn again, O blessed night!

Gracious dream, come again!

Die Nacht

Richard Strauss (1864-1949)

Out from the woods, the night steps in

It slips in from behind trees

Gazing around in wide circle

Now, beware!

 

All the lights of this world

All the flowers and all the colors

She extinguishes and steals the sheaves

From the fields

 

She takes everything that she can grasp

Takes the silver from the stream

From the copper dome of the cathedral

She takes away the gold.

The bush stands plundered

Draw closer, soul to soul

Ah the night, I fear, will steal

You too from me.

Morgen

Richard Strauss (1864-1949)

And tomorrow the sun will shine again

And on the path that I shall take.

 

It will unite us, happy one.

Once more amidst this same sun-breathing earth.

 

And to the shore, wide, and with blue waves,

We shall descend slowly and with stillness.

Without words, we shall gaze into each other’s eyes

and the muted silence of happiness will descend upon us.

Nichts

Richard Strauss (1864-1949)

You wanted me to say the name of my

Queen in the kingdom of song

You are fools! I know

Her least than all of you.

 

You ask me about the color of her eyes

You ask me about the sound of her voice

You ask me of her walk, her dance, her posture

Ach, and what do I know of that.

 

Isn’t the sun the source

Of all life and all light

And what do we know about it,

I, you, and everyone, NOTHING!

Du meines Herzens Krönelein

Richard Strauss (1864-1949)

You are the crown of my heart,

You are made of pure gold

When others surround you

You appear lovelier

Others do so gladly shy away

While you are so sweet and quiet

That every heart will have joy in you

Because of your charm, not by your design

 

Others would seek love and favors

With thousands of lies

You, without deceit of mind and eye

Is esteemed in every way

You are like a forest rose

Who does not know it’s own beauty

Yet to everyone who passes by

You give joy and inspiration.

Ständchen

Richard Strauss (1864-1949)

Open up, open up!

But silently, my child

So that no one will awake from his slumber!

The brook hardly murmurs,

The breeze  does not move

A leaf, in the bushes or hedges

Gently, my love,

So that nothing is stirred.

Gently, with your hand as you lift the handle

 

With steps as gentle as elves

As they hop over the flowers

Slip out to me in the garden!

And fly to me in the garden

The flowers are asleep

By the rippling brook

And exhale fragrance in their sleep,

Only love is awake

 

Sit down, here in the shadows growing mysteriously dark

Under the linden trees.

The nightingale above our head

Shall dream of our kisses

And the rose, upon waking at dawn

Shall glow with the night’s rapture

You are the crown of my heart,When others surround you

You appear lovelier

Others do so gladly shy away

While you are so sweet and quiet

That every heart will have joy in you

Because of your charm, not by your design

 

Others would seek love and favors

With thousands of lies

You, without deceit of mind and eye

Is esteemed in every way

You are like a forest rose

Who does not know it’s own beauty

Yet to everyone who passes by

You give joy and inspiration.


Cinq Mélodies populaires grecques

Chanson de la mariée

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

Wake up, wake up, pretty partridge,

Spread your wings in the morning

You three beauty spots set my heart on fire

See this golden ribbon that I bring

To tie around your hair.

If you with, my dear, let us marry!

Make our two families unite.


Cinq Mélodies populaires grecques

Là-bas, vers l’église

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

Down there by the church,

The church of Saint Sideros,

The church, O Holy Virgin,

The church of Saint Constantine,

Are gathered together, buried in infinite numbers

The bravest people, O Holy Virgin,

The bravest people in world!


Cinq Mélodies populaires grecques

Quel galant m’est comparable

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

What gallant can compare with me?

Among those who are passing by?

Tell me, Mistress Vassiliki?

Look, hanging at my belt

Pistol and a sharp sword…

And it’s you I love!


Cinq Mélodies populaires grecques

Chanson des cueilleuses de lentisques

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

O joy of my soul,

Joy of my heart

You are a treasure I cherish

Joy of the soul and the heart,

You whom I love so dearly

You are more beautiful than an angel

Before our eyes

Like a lovely, blond angel

Under the bright sun-

Alas, all our poor hearts sigh!


Cinq Mélodies populaires grecques

Tout gai!

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

So merry,

Ah so merry!

Lovely leg, Tireli, that dances

Lovely leg, even the plates dance

Tra la la

Les chemins de l'amore

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

The path leading to the sea

after we passed by there,

The flowers scattering petals

And echoing under the trees

Are our clear laughter

Unfortunately, there are no traces of those happy days anymore.

 

The shining joy flew away

Will I be able to find it in my heart again?

On the paths of love

I always look for you

Lost way...you're not here anymore

Your sound has already become smaller

Path of despair

Path of our memory

The path on our first day

The path of divine love

 

If I have to forget someday

Because life erases everything

I want to keep a memento in my heart

stronger than any love

To remember that road

I was shaking and completely lost.

One day, I felt your passionate hands.

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BENEDICT JASMIN 2029

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