Frederick Delius: Five Songs from the Norwegian (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)

Based on

Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832-1910)

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While infancy dreamed from heaven there teemed
An angel array with song and with 
And when he awoke his fond mother caressed him.
In joy that he smiled as the bright angels blessed him. 

To heaven was her prayer mid sorrow and care
Unrestful he slept, in sorrow he wept. 
A rustling was heard and again she caressed him
In joy that the hovering angels had blessed him. 

To manhood he grows, the tear again flows
No rest is in sleep, his grief is too deep. 
The angels desert not, still nearer they press him
And sing "Be at peace" as with slumber they bless him.

2. Syng, syng

Language: Norwegian (Bokmål)

Authorship

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Syng, syng nattergal du,
syng meg en liflig vise 
Kan du så døve min hu?
Kan du så mage det nu 
at jeg måtte lengsel forlise? 

Syng, syng snart er du snil,
kom, kom let og behænde
Abilden dufter deg til
natten er stille og mild 
alle mine tanker de brende. 

Kom, kom sanger og tal 
der, hvor jeg hører hjemme
er der ei nattergal 
der ved jeg sorrig og kval 
lyve seg til syngende stemme.

Input by John Versmoren

2. The nightingale

Language: English

Authorship

W. Grist

Based on

John Olaf Paulsen (1851-1924)

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Sing, sing nightingale blest
  Sing me a roundel of gladness 
Wilt thou not bring me as guest
  Peace in my bosom to rest? 
Ah, why must I be ever in sadness? 
  Sing, sing nightingale blest

Sing, sing chantress of love 
  Sing where 'tis fragrant and beaming
Evening gales o'er me rove 
  Gloom overshadows the grove. 
Light alone springs from my dreaming.
  Sing, sing chantress of love.

Come, come carol thy lay 
  Here in the cell where I languish
Cannot a nightingale stray 
  Must ever sorrow have sway. 
Song would but mock at my anguish.
  Come, come carol thy lay.

3. Jeg reiste en deilig sommerkveld

Language: Norwegian (Bokmål)

Authorship

Mol og Dur

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Jeg rejste en dejlig Sommerkvæld
Igjennem en ensom Dal.
Så blankt stod Fjeldet ved Solfadstid
Og blå var Fjorden og grøn hver Lid,
Mens Sommerluften og Birkeduften
strøg om mig blid.

En rankvokst Jente med røde Bånd
Om Flettens vægtige Guld,
På Vangen sad med sit Strikketøj.
En Flok af Gjeder om hende fløj,
Den Vogter stille, mens Elv og Kilde
gled uden Støj.

Hvad mon hun tænkte den Jente rank
I Somrens drømmende Kvæld?
Alene, ene i Dalen trang!
Mon Længslen ej over Fjeld sig svang?
Tys, Luren svarer! Mod Fjeldet farer 
en Vemodsklang.

3. At fall of glowing summer day

Language: English

Authorship

Based on

John Olaf Paulsen (1851-1924)

Mol og Dur

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 At fall of glowing summer day 
 Through lone vale I take my way 
 The waning sun gilds the lofty hill 
 The banks are green and blue the rill.
 The scented flowers perfume the bowers
 And all is still. 
 
 At house door sits a graceful maid
 In ribands golden-bright arrayed
 And as her needle she plies, she heeds
 Her flock that o'er the green hill feeds; 
 Its pathway guiding to streamlet gliding
 O'er grassy mead.
 
 Of what dreams she, that maiden fair,
 Out gazing through the twilight air?
 Though silent she's not in heart alone
 Her fancy oèr the hill has flown;
 Hark, distant singing, its echoes winging
 In lovelorn tone.

4. Lengsel

Language: Norwegian (Bokmål)

Authorship

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Vildeste fugl I flukt endnu
fløy dog ikke som lengses hu
Tid, kan du ikke ile? 
Fra morgen og inntil morgenry
Det er som at lide døden på ny.
Aldri så kommer hvile! 
Der er ei over det vide hav,
der er ei i den dunkle grav
og ei på fjell og ei i dal 
der er ei nogen større kval enn lengsel. 

Hjerte, mitt hjerte styr ikke så 
tanke, tanke hvor hen vil du gå?
Drøm, du bruker til vinge, 
det vet den lykke som vet seg stor
at kval er mere enn tomme ord
Yndige lyd som klinger! 
Jo større lykke, jo større kval
som høyest fjell og dypest dal
som dag og natt så er min Hu
meg tykkes at jeg bærer nu på lengsel.

Input by John Versmoren

4. Longing

Language: English

Authorship

Based on

Andreas Munch (1811-1884)

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 Quick darts the eagle through the skies
 Yet not swift as my longing flies
 Speed on time! do not languish!
 From evening gray, to the ruddy morn
 With mortal pangs I'm ever torn.
 Never allayed is my anguish. 
 Where billows thunder and dashin might
 Where tombs are yawning in gloomy night
 Where valleys wind and mountains tower,
 O'er all resistless reigns the power of longing. 
 
 Heart, oh my heart thy throbbing stay
 Whither, fancy, thy rapid way 
 Dreams but charm thee to vanish. 
 Her loftiest flight, well fortune knows,
 But heralds grief and untold woes
 Love only sorrow can banish. 
 The greater the bliss, the deeper the pain
 As lofty hill as lowland plain. 
 As day and night, as ebb and flow 
 Within me burns the joy, the woe of longing

5. Ved Solnedgang

Language: Norwegian (Bokmål)

Authorship

Nye Digte

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Nu daler Solen sagte ned
bag Aasens fjerne Skove
og sender guldrød Aftenfred
ud over Eng of Vove.
En sød vemodig Hvisken gaar
igjennem Birkens Blade
Om Nattens Mulm, som forestaar
og vil sin Favn oplade.

[ ... ]

Frygt ej min Sjæl, sænk dig kun ned
i Nattens Dyb mod Solen,
Derfra opvælder Kjærlig hed
som Duft fra Natviolen.
Hvor Lyset Kilde gaar forud,
did kan du trøstig følge,
Og lade Nattens dybe Skrud
din hede Længsel dølge.

[ ... ]

5. Sunset

Language: English

Authorship

Based on