NACHTWANDERER (NIGHT WANDERER), op. 7, no. 1, Fanny Hensel
Sung in German
I wander through the silent night,
The moon floats with gentle stealth
Out of its dark cloud cover,
And here and there in the valley,
A nightingale awakens,
Then all is gray and silent again.
O wonderful nightsong,
From afar the rushing of a stream,
The soft rustling in the dark trees–
You bewitch my thoughts;
My muddled singing here
Is only like a call from a dream.
—Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff
FRÜHLING (SPRING), op. 7, no. 3, Fanny Hensel
Sung in German
Over the garden through the skies,
I hear migratory birds pass,
Bringing the smell of spring,
Everything is beginning to bloom.
I want to rejoice, I want to weep,
This must be spring and love!
All the wonders reappear,
Glistening in the moonlight.
And the moon, the stars agree,
And the grove murmurs it in a dream,
And the nightingales sing:
She is yours, she is yours!
—Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff
GEGENWART (PRESENCE), Fanny Hensel
Sung in German
Everything announces you!
When the majestic sun appears,
I hope you will soon follow.
When you emerge in the garden,
You are the rose of roses,
The lily of lilies at once.
When you rise to dance,
All the stars rise
With you and around you.
Night! And so it is then night!
Now you outshine the moon’s
Lovely, inviting gleam.
You are enticing and lovely,
And the flowers, moon and stars
Worship only you, my sun.
My sun! be also to me
The creator of majestic days
For you give life and eternity.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
WALDRUHE (FOREST REST), Fanny Hensel
Sung in German
May your greeting, the rustling of the leaves,
Let my head bow into silent dream,
Let dream rock me into deep slumber,
Let slumber sink me into death.
Hail every breath that fans my cheek!
Hail every ray that smiles upon my forehead,
Already the silent bliss has melted
My entire being into nature.
—Fanny Hensel
NACHTREIGEN (NIGHT WHIRL), Fanny Hensel
Sung in German
The trees are rustling, sweet scents rise and a tender breeze
Surrounds our dreams with a bridal touch.
We walk and celebrate in a familiar embrace,
We celebrate and sing and our echo carries.
Blissful sounds and scents and shimmers,
O holy unity–close in on us softly, softly.
Hello! Hello! How funny it carries through green and night.
Fresh as the air is our thought and happily awake with the
Singing bird is man, free of constraints.
How it shimmers and laughs.
Still! Still! Do not let loud calls disturb the holy celebration,
Let us sing and listen, create how nature has created.
Quiet, wise, approach the circle, come!
Yes, we’re coming, overcome by the holy power of stillness.
So stay peacefully connected because God has brought you here.
And you shall feel together what each individual has thought.
—Wilhelm Hensel
HIOB (JOB), Fanny Hensel
Sung in German
I. Chorus
What is mankind that you should exalt them and set your heart on them?
That you should visit them daily and test them every moment?
II. Arioso (Solo Quartet)
Why do you hide your face?
Will you rush to torment a windblown leaf and chase after dry chaff?
III. Chorus
You have granted me life and favor and your care has preserved my spirit,
And though these things are hidden in your heart,
I rest assured that this is your will.
—Words from the Book of Job
HEILIG (HOLY), OP. 27, Felix Mendelssohn
Sung in German
Holy, holy, holy is God, the Lord Sabaoth!
Every nation proclaims that glorious praise.
Sing Hosanna in the highest.
O blest are they that come in God’s holy name.
Sing Hosanna in the highest.
—from the Ordinary of the Lutheran Mass
RICHTE MICH, GOTT (JUDGE ME, O GOD), OP. 78, NO. 2, Felix Mendelssohn
Sung in German
Bring justice to the people, O God, and strength on my behalf
To stand firm against oppression;
From all that is greedy and unjust deliver me!
For You are the One in whom I take refuge;
Yet, have You abandoned me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of ignorance?
O, send out Your light and Your truth;
Let them guide me and lead me to Your holy altar.
Then will I know Your Heart of my heart, my exceeding joy;
And I will praise you with song, o my Beloved, my Awakener.
Why are you cast down, O my soul,
And why do you sigh within me?
Hope in God! Then I will again give God thanks,
For we are all one in love, now and forevermore.
—Psalm 43
VERLEIH UNS FRIEDEN (GRANT US PEACE), Felix Mendelssohn
Sung in German
Grant us peace, Lord God, in our times.
For there is no other who can defend us
Except you alone, our God.
—Martin Luther
INTERMISSION
LOBGESANG (HYMN OF PRAISE), Felix Mendelssohn
Sung in English
Chorus
All life, all breath, all that has life and breath sing to the Lord.
Praise the Lord with lute and harp, in joyful song extolling. And let
all flesh magnify God’s bountiful glory. All that has life and breath,
sing to the Lord.
Solo and Treble Chorus
Praise thou the Lord, O my spirit, and my inmost soul praise such
great loving kindness. Praise thou the Lord, O my spirit, and forget
thou not all God’s mercies to us.
Recitative and Aria
Sing ye praise, all ye redeemed of the Lord, redeemed from the
hand of the foe, from your distresses, from deep affliction, who
sat in the shadow of death and darkness. All ye that cry in trouble
unto the Lord: sing ye praise, give ye thanks, proclaim aloud God’s
goodness.
God counteth all your sorrows in the time of need. God comforts
the bereaved with kind regard. Sing ye praise. Give ye thanks!
Proclaim aloud God’s goodness.
Chorus
All ye that cried unto the Lord in distress and deep affliction, God
counteth all your sorrows in the time of need.
Duet and Chorus
I waited for the Lord, who inclined unto me and heard my complaint.
O blessed are they that hope and trust in the Lord.
Solo
Sorrows of death had closed all around me and hell’s dark terror
had got hold upon me with trouble and deep heaviness. But, said
the Lord: Come, arise from the dead – I bring thee salvation.
We called through the darkness: Guardian, will the night soon
pass? The guardian only said: Though the morning will come, the
night will come also. Return again, ask ye, inquire ye: Guardian,
will the night soon pass?
Solo
The night is departing!
Chorus
The night is departing, the day is approaching. Therefore, let us
cast off the works of darkness, let us gird on the armor of light.
Chorale
Now thank we all our God with heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done, in whom God’s world rejoices.
Who, from our parents’ arms has blessed us on our way,
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.
All praise and thanks to God Creator now be given,
The Son, and Holy Ghost who reign in highest heaven.
The one eternal God, whom earth and heaven adore,
For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.
Duet
My song shall be always thy mercy, singing Thy praise, thou only
God. My tongue ever speaks the goodness Thou hast done unto me.
I wander in night and foulest darkness and mine enemies stand
threatening around me, yet called I upon the name of the Lord, and
God redeemed me with watchful goodness.
Chorus
Ye nations, offer to the Lord glory and might. Ye monarchs, offer
to the Lord glory and might. O heaven, offer to the Lord glory and
might. All nature, offer to the Lord glory and might.
O give thanks to the Lord, praise God all ye people and ever bless
that holy name. Sing to the Lord and ever bless that holy name. All
that has life and breath sing to the Lord, Hallelujah. Sing to the Lord.
