I am working on the Paul Hindemith Horn Concerto, and mid way in the third movement, before a horn entrance there is the following -

Deklamation:

Mein Rufen wandelt
In herbstgetonten Hain den Saal
Das Eben in Verschollnes,
Dich in Gewand und Brauch der Ahnen,
In ihr Verlangen und Empfahn dein Gluck.
Gonn teuren Schemen Urstand,
Dir Halbvergessener Gemeinschaft,
Und mir mein tongestaltnes Sehnen.

Knowing the translation might guide me in the interpretation of the rest of the movement and if performed, could be used in the program notes.

Thanks as always

It's rather difficult German, but this translation looks plausible:

http://www.gogomusic.com.tw/modules/...um=9&move=next

(The English translation, that is.)

Thanks J

It makes sense and captures the mood of the rest of the movement.

"My call changes
The hall into an autumn-hued grove"

Which is followed by a phrase that begins with a classic horn call.

My calling changes...

Eben = right now, this instant, this moment. More than just present.

Verschollnes = There was this Tom Hanks movie "Cast away". Not just forgotten. Someone know a better word?

tongestaltnes Sehnen = longing in the form of sound

In ihr Verlangen und Empfahn dein Glück.
in their desires and having received your happiness.

Gönn teuren Schemen Urständ
Grant resurrection to those treasured ghosts
( like: Let them have their resurrection!)
communion of those half forgotten

and to me, my longing in the form of sound.

No try the translation.

Here's another attempt, as quoted in a Yale thesis (p. 31 of the pdf):

<i>My call transforms
The auditorium into an autumn-colored grove,
The now into the forgotten past,
You into the dress and customs of your ancestors,
Your happiness into their longing and resignation.
Grudge not the beloved ghosts their resurrection,
Nor Yourself communion with them, the half-forgotten,
And me, my tone-inspired yearnings.</i>

http://tinyurl.com/ykjh45w

"Resurrection" is definitely better than "primal condition" for "Urständ."

I'm still not quite sure what "Empfahn" is. "Empfangen" in modern German? "My call transforms ... Your happiness into their demanding and receiving"?

Yes, it's empfangen.

>Nor Yourself communion with them
Not correct, would change the meaning.

My calling transforms.. into their desires and the happiness you receive?

>forgotten past,

"Verschollen" is very different from "forgotten"
A person standed alone on a remote island is "verschollen". Or someone that went to war and never was heard of again. You may think of him every day, but don't know the whereabouts.
A work of art may be "verschollen", might be hidden somewere close yet noone knows where it is. Yet everybody knows it exists and maybe talks about it frequently.

Which english word for "verschollen"?

I think the second through fifth lines all have a parallel structure: a direct object plus a prepositional phrase beginning with "in." (Or rather a chiastic structure, with the prepositional phrase coming first in lines 2 and 5, and the direct object coming first in lines 3 and 4.) So "dein Glueck" would be one of the direct objects of "wandelt" (along with den Saal, das Eben, and Dich).

Then "in ihr Verlangen und Empfahn" is what "dein Glueck" is transformed into (parallel to "In herbstgetoenten Hain," "in Verschollnes," and "in Gewand und Brauch der Ahnen"). So I think perhaps the sense is "my calling transforms your happiness into their (i.e., the ancestors') receiving what they desire" (more literally, into their desiring and receiving).

Then the last three lines each have an indirect object followed by a direct object:

Grant to the beloved ghosts resurrection,
To yourself communion with the half-forgotten,
And to me my longing in the form of sound.

As for verschollen, we could describe the work of art as "lost" or "missing." Likewise, there's a TV show called "Lost" with a somewhat similar theme to "Castaway."

For the third line, I think "The now into the missing past" sounds better than "The now into the lost past."

Forgot to add that someone who went to war and was never heard of again is "missing in action."

Hi 99,

>>forgotten past,

"Verschollen" is very different from "forgotten" .......... Which english word for "verschollen"?

in addition to missing: hidden, obscured, enshrouded, beclouded?

Abandoned? Marooned?

"verschollen" means lost, but with a bit more lyrical twist. also in the sense of missing, i.e. something is lost but not gone. more in the sense of "vanished".

I really appreciate the responses so far. They illustrate that the translation of poetry from one language to another is in itself an art when trying to capture the author's intent and nuance.