Richard Strauss (1864-1949):
Ständchen, Op. 17, No. 2
(composed in 1886; first published in 1888)
Text: Adolph Friedrich von Schack
Original Key/Recorded Key: F-sharp Major
Teach-Track begins: m. 1
Accompaniment Track begins: m. 1
Pianist: Daniel Michalak
N. B. In accordance with performance tradition, the climactic high note on the word ?hoch? is doubled in length in this recording. This requires the pianist to add a measure?s worth of 16th-notes--although to avoid the impression that the music is simply ?stuck? at this point, it is best that the two measures under this high note not be identical to one another. In this recording, the first of these two measures actually ascends in its second half to an arpeggiated second-inversion chord (i.e., the same chord as in the first half of the subsequent ?glühn? measure, but an octave higher).
Notes © 1999 by Daniel O. Michalak
Mach auf, mach auf, doch leise mein Kind,
Open up, open up, but quietly my child,
Um keinen vom Schlummer zu wecken.
So as no-one from slumber to wake.
Kaum murmelt der Bach, kaum zittert im Wind
Hardly mumbles the brook, hardly tremble in the wind
Ein Blatt an den Büschen und Hecken.
A leaf on the bushes and hedges.
Drum leise, mein Mädchen, daß nichts sich regt,
Therefore softly, my maiden, so that nothing itself stirs,
Nur leise die Hand auf die Klinke gelegt.
Just quietly the hand on the door handle laid.
Mit Tritten, wie Tritte der Elfen so sacht,
With steps, like steps of elves so gentle,
Die über die Blumen hüpfen,
As to over the flowers to hop,
Flieg leicht hinaus in die Mondscheinnacht,
Fly lightly out into the moonlight,
Zu mir in den Garten zu schlüpfen.
To me out in the garden to slip.
Rings schlummern die Blüten am rieselnden Bach
All around slumber the flowers by the babbling brook
Und duften im Schlaf, nur die Liebe ist wach.
And spread fragrance in sleep, only the love is awake.
Sitz nieder, hier dämmert's geheimnisvoll
Sit down, here it grows dark mysteriously
Unter den Lindenbäumen,
Under the linden-trees,
Die Nachtigall uns zu Häupten soll
The nightingale over our heads shall
Von unseren Küssen träumen,
Of our kisses dream,
Und die Rose, wenn sie am Morgen erwacht,
And the rose, when in the morning it awakes,
Hoch glühn von den Wonnenschauern der Nacht.
Brightly shall glow from the joyous trembling of the night.