Zemlinsky: Lied aus Dixieland (“Song from Dixieland”)
Original English text by Langston Hughes (1901-1967) with the English title "Song for a Dark Girl"
German translation by Josef Stern (1886-1966)
Weit unten im Süden, in Dixieland
Way Down South in Dixie
O brich, mein Herz, o brich!
(Break the heart of me)
Sie haben an einen Baum dich gehängt,
They hung my Black young lover
O Ärmster, Liebster, dich!
To a crossroads tree.
Weit unten, im Süden, in Dixieland
Way Down South in Dixie
Zermalmt, vom Wind umweht!
(Bruised body high in air)
Und ich hab den weissen Herrn Jesu gefragt:
I asked the white Lord Jesus
Wozu, wozu noch das Gebet?
What was the use of prayer.
Weit unten, im Süden, in Dixieland
Way Down South in Dixie
Ich leb’, ich atme kaum.
(Break the heart of me)
O Liebe, nackter Schatten
Love is a naked shadow
An einem kahlen Baum!
On a gnarled and naked tree.
Bonds: To a Brown Girl Dead
Original English text by Countee Cullen (1903—1946)
With two white roses on her breast,
White candles at head and feet,
Dark Madonna of the grave she lies;
Lord Death has found her sweet.
Her mother pawned her wedding ring
To lay her out in white;
She’d be so proud she’d dance and sing
To see herself tonight.
Zemlinsky: Totes braunes Mädel (“A Brown Girl Dead”)
Original English text by Countee Cullen
German translation by Josef Luitpold Stern
Schwarzbraunes Mädel hat sterben gemusst,
With two white roses on her breasts,
Tod hat sie geraubt, hat sie geraubt.
White candles at head and feet,
Zwei Rosen auf der Brust,
Dark Madonna of the grave she rests;
Weisse Kerzen zu Fuss und Haupt.
Lord Death has found her sweet.
Deine Mutter hat ihren Ring versetzt,
Her mother pawned her wedding ring
Dich zu kleiden so weiss und schön,
To lay her out in white;
Was das für ein Singen und Tanzen wär’
She’d be so proud she’d dance and sing
Könntest du dich sehn.
To see herself tonight.
Übler Bursche (“Bad Man”)
Original English text by Langston Hughes
German translation by Hermann Kesser (1880-1952)
Bin ein übler, übler Bursche,
I’m a bad, bad man
Jeder hat mich auf dem Strich!
‘Cause everybody tells me so.
Bin ein Bursche, übel, übel,
I’m a bad, bad man.
Jeder schimpft auf mich!
Everybody tells me so.
Nur der Schnaps und die Schlechtigkeit
I takes ma meanness and ma licker
Sind bei mir allezeit.
Everywhere I go.
Hau’ mein Weib durch
I beats ma wife an’
Und das kleine Mädel
I beats ma side gal too.
Schlag hin, schlag her,
Beats ma wife an’
Schlag drauf, Mädel, Frau, Frau, Mädel!
Beats ma side gal too.
Immer muss ich prügeln,
Don’t know why I do it but
Hab sonst den Dreh im Schädel.
It keeps me from feelin’ blue.
Bin ein schlechter Tropf,
I’m so bad I
Will nichts andres sein.
Don’t even want to be good.
Bin ein übler Bursche,
So bad, bad, bad I
Will kein braver Kerl sein.
Don’t even want to be good.
Dem Teufel in die Hand,
I’m goin’ to de devil an’
Freu mich auf seine Kohlen,
Looking forward to his coals,
Will nicht in den Himmel hinein.
I wouldn’t go to heaven
Auch wenn sie mich holen.
If I could.
Bonds: Poème d’Automne
Original English text by Langston Hughes
The autumn leaves
Are too heavy with color.
The slender trees
On the Vulcan Road
Are dressed in scarlet and gold
Like young courtesans
Waiting for their lovers.
But soon
The winter wind
Will strip their bodies bare
And then
The sharp, sleet-stung
Caresses of the cold
Will be their only
Love.
Bonds: Winter Moon
Original English text by Langston Hughes
How thin and sharp is the moon tonight!
How thin and sharp and mostly white
Is the slim curved crook of the moon tonight!
How thin and sharp is the moon tonight!
Bonds: April Rain Song
Original English text by Langston Hughes
Let the rain kiss you.
Let the rain beat upon your brow with silver liquid drops.
Let the rain sing you a lullaby.
The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk.
The rain makes running pools in the gutter.
The rain plays a little sleep song on your roof at night
and you love the rain.
Let the rain kiss you.
Let the rain sing you a lullaby.
And you’ll love the rain.
Zemlinsky: Erkenntnis (“Disillusion”)
Original English text by Langston Hughes
German translation by Anna Nussbaum (1887-1931)
Ich möchte wieder einfach sein,
I would be simple again
Wie Erde,
Simple and clean
Wie Regen,
Like the earth,
Einfach und rein.
Like the rain,
O hätt’ ich nie gekannt,
Nor ever know,
Dunkles Harlem,
Dark Harlem,
Das wilde Lachen
The wild laughter
Deiner Lust,
Of your mirth
Die salzigen Tränen
Nor the salt tears
Deiner Pein.
Of your pain.
Sei gut zu mir,
Be kind to me,
O grosse, dunkle Stadt,
Oh, great dark city.
Lass mich vergessen,
Let me forget.
Ich will nicht wieder
I will not come
Zurück zu dir.
To you again.
Zemlinsky: Afrikanischer Tanz (“African Dance”)
Original English text by Langston Hughes with the title "Danse Africaine"
German translation by Josef Luitpold Stern
Grollen die Tom-toms,
The low beating of the tom-toms,
Rollen die Tom-toms,
The slow beating of the tom-toms,
Grollen
Low … slow
Rollen,
Slow … low —
Wecken das Blut.
Stirs your blood.
Tanz!
Dance!
Nacht umhülltes Mädchen
A night-veiled girl
Dreht sich leis
Whirls softly into a
Im Lichterkreis,
Circle of light.
Rauchwölkchen
Whirls softly … slowly,
Um das Feuer!
Like a wisp of smoke around the fire —
Und die Tom-toms rollen,
And the tom-toms beat,
Und die Tom-toms grollen,
And the tom-toms beat,
Grollen, rollen,
And the low beating of the tom-toms
Wecken das Blut.
Stirs your blood.
Bonds: The Negro Speaks of Rivers
Original English text by Langston Hughes
I’ve known rivers:
I’ve known rivers
Ancient as the world
And older than the flow of human blood in human veins.
My soul has grown deep like the rivers.
I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young.
I built my hut near the Congo and it lull’d me to sleep.
I looked upon the Nile and raised the Pyramids above it.
I heard the singing of the Mississippi
When Abe Lincoln went down the New Orleans,
And I’ve seen its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset.
I’ve known rivers:
Ancient, dusky rivers.
My soul has grown deep like the rivers.