Recordings/Discussions
Background Information
Performer Bios

Poet/Composer Bios

Additional Information

Texts & Translations: Main Page | Cantatas BWV 1-50 | Cantatas BWV 51-100 | Cantatas BWV 101-150 | Cantatas BWV 151-200 | Cantatas BWV 201-224 | Other Vocal BWV 225-249 | Chorales BWV 250-438 | Geistliche Lieder BWV 439-507 | AMN BWV 508-524 | Other Vocal 1081-1164 | BWV Anh | Chorale Texts | Emblemata | Sources | Poets & Composers
Discussions: Texts: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Translations: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4


Cantata BWV 198
Laß, Fürstin, lass noch einen Strahl
English Translation in Interlinear Format
Cantata BWV 198 - Let, Princess, let one more ray

Event: Funeral Ode on the Decease of the Consort of Augustus the Strong - Christiane Eberhardine, Queen of Poland and Electoral Princess of Saxony
Text: Johann Christoph Gottsched

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

First Part

1

Chorus [S, A, T, B]

Flauto traverso I/II, Oboe d'amore I/II, Viola da gamba I/II, Liuto I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

Laß, Fürstin, lass noch einen Strahl
Let, Princess, let one more ray
Aus Salems Sterngewölben schießen.

Shoot from Salem's starry vaults.
Und sieh, mit wieviel Tränengüssen
And see, with how many floods of tears
Umringen wir dein Ehrenmal.
we surround your memorial.

2

Recitative [Soprano]

Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

Dein Sachsen, dein bestürztes Meißen
Your Saxony, your dismayed Meissen
Erstarrt bei deiner Königsgruft;
stand numb at your royal tomb;
Das Auge tränt, die Zunge ruft:
the eye weeps, the tongue calls:
Mein Schmerz kann unbeschreiblich heißen!
my grief can be called indescribable!
Hier klagt August und Prinz und Land,
Here lament Augustus and Prince and country,
Der Adel
ächzt, der Bürger trauert,
the nobility groans, citizens mourn,
Wie hat dich nicht das Volk bedauert,
how have people not lamented you
Sobald es deinen Fall empfand!
as soon as they learnt of your death!

3

Aria [Soprano]

Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

Verstummt, verstummt, ihr holden Saiten!
Be silent, be silent, you sweet strings!
Kein Ton vermag der Länder Not
no sound could express the country's distress
Bei ihrer teuren Mutter Tod,
at the death of their dear mother,
O Schmerzenswort! recht anzudeuten.
Oh sorrowful word!

4

Recitative [Alto]

Flauto traverso I/II, Oboe d'amore I/II, Viola da gamba I/II, Liuto I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

Der Glocken bebendes Getön
The bells' reverberating sound
Soll unsrer trüben Seelen Schrecken
shall awaken dread in our troubled souls
Durch ihr geschwungnes Erze wecken
with its vibrating bronze
Und uns durch Mark und Adern gehn.
And go through our marrow and veins.
O, könnte nur dies bange Klingen,
Oh if only this fearful sound
Davon das Ohr uns täglich gellt,
that resounds each day in our ears
Der ganzen Europäerwelt
could give to all of Europe
Ein Zeugnis unsres Jammers bringen!
A witness of our sorrow!

5

Aria [Alto]

Viola da gamba I/II, Liuto I/II, Continuo

Wie starb die Heldin so vergnügt!
How contentedly the heroine died!
Wie mutig hat ihr Geist gerungen,
how courageously her spirit struggled
Da sie des Todes Arm bezwungen,
as death's arm overcame her,
Noch eh er ihre Brust besiegt.
before he conquered her breast.

6

Recitative [Tenor]

Oboe d'amore I/II, Continuo

Ihr Leben ließ die Kunst zu sterben
In her life the art of dying
In unverrückter Übung sehn;
could be seen steadfastly practiced;
Unmöglich konnt es denn geschehn,
it was therefore not possible
Sich vor dem Tode zu entfärben.
For her to turn pale at the prospect of death.
Ach selig! wessen großer Geist
Ah blessed is the person whose spirit
Sich
über die Natur erhebet,
is raised above nature,
Vor Gruft und Särgen nicht erbebet,
and does not tremble before tomb and coffin,
Wenn ihn sein Schöpfer scheiden heißt.
when called by its creator to depart.

7

Chorus [S, A, T, B]

Flauto traverso I/II, Oboe d'amore I/II, Viola da gamba I/II, Liuto I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

An dir, du Fürbild großer Frauen,
In you, model of great women,
An dir, erhabne Königin,
in you, exulted Queen,
An dir, du Glaubenspflegerin,
in you, defender of the faith
War dieser Großmut Bild zu schauen.
Was this image of a great soul to be seen.

Second Part

8

Aria [Tenor]

Flauto traverso, Oboe d'amore, Viola da gamba I/II, Violino I/II, Liuto I/II, Continuo

Der Ewigkeit saphirnes Haus
Eternity's sapphire house
Zieht, Fürstin, deine heitern Blicke
draws, Princess, your serene gaze
Von unsrer Niedrigkeit zurücke
away from our lowly state
Und tilgt der Erden Dreckbild aus.
And wipes away the sordid image of the Earth.
Ein starker Glanz von hundert Sonnen,
A powerful radiance of a hundred suns,
Der unsern Tag zur Mitternacht
that turns our day into midnight
Und unsre Sonne finster macht,
and makes our sun dark,
Hat dein verklärtes Haupt umsponnen.
Has surrounded your transfigured head.

9

Recitative [Bass]

Flauto traverso I/II, Oboe I/II, Continuo

Was Wunder ists? Du bist es wert,
What wonder is it? You deserve this,
Du Fürbild aller Königinnen!
You model of all queens!
Du musstest allen Schmuck gewinnen,
You had to gain all the adornment
Der deine Scheitel itzt verklärt.
that now transfigures the crown of your head.
Nun trägst du vor des Lammes Throne
Now you wear before the throne of the Lamb
Anstatt des Purpurs Eitelkeit
instead of purple's vanity
Ein perlenreines Unschuldskleid
a robe of innocence pure as pearl
Und spottest der verlassnen Krone.
And you mock the crown you have left behind.
Soweit der volle Weichselstrand,
As far as the full banks of the Vistula,
Der Niester und die Warthe fließet,
where the Niester and the Warthe flow,
Soweit sich Elb' und Muld' ergießet,
as far as the Elbe and Mulde roll,
Erhebt dich Stadt und Land.
town and country exalt you.
Dein Torgau geht im Trauerkleide,
Your Torgau wears mourning dress
Dein Pretzsch wird kraftlos, starr und matt;
Your Pretzsch becomes weak, stiff and dull;
Denn da es dich verloren hat,
since it has lost you,
Verliert es seiner Augen Weide.
it has lost the delight of its eyes.

10

Chorus [S, A, T, B]

Flauto traverso I/II, Oboe d'amore I/II, Viola da gamba I/II, Liuto I/II, Violino I/II, Continuo

Doch, Königin! du stirbest nicht,
Yet, Queen, you do not die,
Man weiß, was man an dir besessen;
we know what we possessed in you;
Die Nachwelt wird dich nicht vergessen,
posterity will not forget you,
Bis dieser Weltbau einst zerbricht.
Until one day this world is shattered.
Ihr Dichter, schreibt! wir wollens lesen:
You poets, write! We want to read this:
Sie ist der Tugend Eigentum,
she is the property of virtue,
Der Untertanen Lust und Ruhm,
the delight and fame of her subjects,
Der Königinnen Preis gewesen.
the glory of queens.

--

This Translation in Parallel Format

English Translation by Francis Browne (April 2008)
Contributed by Francis Browne (April 2008)

Cantata BWV 198: Laß, Fürstin, laß einen Strahl for Funeral Ode (1727)
Discography: Details & Complete Recordings | Recordings of Individual Movements
Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6

BWV 198 Text: German-1 | German-2 | German-6
Translations: English-1 | English-3I | English-3P | English-6 (Rust) | English-6 (Rust, no chorales) | English-10 | English-13
Catalan-1 | Chinese-2 | Dutch-0 | Dutch-4 | French-2 | French-4 | French-5 | French-6 | Hebrew-1 | Indonesian-1 | Italian-5 | Polish-2 | Russian-1 | Russian-3 | Spanish-2 | Spanish-4 | Spanish-7

English Translations in Interlinear/Parallel Format (English-3): Sorted by BWV Number | Sorted by Title | Sorted by Event | Note on English Translations


Texts & Translations: Main Page | Cantatas BWV 1-50 | Cantatas BWV 51-100 | Cantatas BWV 101-150 | Cantatas BWV 151-200 | Cantatas BWV 201-224 | Other Vocal BWV 225-249 | Chorales BWV 250-438 | Geistliche Lieder BWV 439-507 | AMN BWV 508-524 | Other Vocal 1081-1164 | BWV Anh | Chorale Texts | Emblemata | Sources | Poets & Composers
Discussions: Texts: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Translations: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4




 

Back to the Top


Last update: Monday, January 09, 2023 14:24