Text & Translation
Soldaten (The Soldier)
Danish source:
Hans Christian Andersen
Ak, skal vi da aldrig til Stedet naae,
At han kan faae Ro i sin Kiste?
Jeg troer mit Hjerte vil briste!
Jeg havde i Verden en eneste Ven,
Ham er det, man bringer til Døden hen,
Med klingende Spil gjennem Gaden,
Og jeg er med i Paraden.
For sidste Gang skuer han nu Guds sol,
Der sidder han alt paa Dødens Stol;
De binde ham fast til Pælen.
For barm Dig Gud over Sjælen!
Paa eengang sigte de alle Ni.
De Otte skyde jo reent forbi;
De rysted' paa Haanden af Smerte,
Kun jeg traf midt i hans Hjerte!
The Soldier
English translation ©
Michael Finnissy
How slow it seems, and how long the march.
O, that he was at peace and everything done.
My heart is pounding!
I loved only him, in all the world,
this man who they have condemned to death.
And I am ordered,
to be a part of the firing squad.
Now, for the last time,
he will glimpse the sunlight,
before they bind his eyes.
May a kindly god grant this man eternal peace.
Nine soldiers take aim.
Nine who shudder in horror,
as the bullets are discharged.
But it is I who strike at the centre of his heart.
Soldaten (The Soldier)
Danish source:
Hans Christian Andersen
The Soldier
English source:
Michael Finnissy
Med dæmpede Hvirvler Trommerne gaae,
Our steps keep time with the muffled drum.
Ak, skal vi da aldrig til Stedet naae,
How slow it seems, and how long the march.
At han kan faae Ro i sin Kiste?
O, that he was at peace and everything done.
Jeg troer mit Hjerte vil briste!
My heart is pounding!
Jeg havde i Verden en eneste Ven,
I loved only him, in all the world,
Ham er det, man bringer til Døden hen,
this man who they have condemned to death.
Med klingende Spil gjennem Gaden,
And I am ordered,
Og jeg er med i Paraden.
to be a part of the firing squad.
For sidste Gang skuer han nu Guds sol,
Now, for the last time,
Der sidder han alt paa Dødens Stol;
he will glimpse the sunlight,
De binde ham fast til Pælen.
before they bind his eyes.
For barm Dig Gud over Sjælen!
May a kindly god grant this man eternal peace.
Paa eengang sigte de alle Ni.
Nine soldiers take aim.
De Otte skyde jo reent forbi;
Nine who shudder in horror,
De rysted' paa Haanden af Smerte,
as the bullets are discharged.
Kun jeg traf midt i hans Hjerte!
But it is I who strike at the centre of his heart.
Composer
Michael Finnissy
Michael Finnissy is an English composer and pianist. Finnissy has taught at the Royal Academy of Music, the University of Sussex, and is Professor of composition at the University of Southampton and is Composer in Residence at St. John's College…
Poet
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, Andersen is best remembered for his fairy tales. Andersen's popularity is not limited to children; his stories, called eventyr in…