Lyrics - Naxos

WACHNER, J.: Choral Music, Vol. 1 8.559607 

http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.559607 

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Sometimes I Feel Alive 

Texts: E.E. Cummings (1894-1962) 

I. there is a moon sole 

there is a 

moon sole 

in the blue 

night 

amorous of waters 

tremulous, 

blinded with silence the 

undulous heaven yearns where 

in tense starlessness 

anoint with ardor 

the yellow lover 

stands in the dumb dark 

svelte 

and 

urgent 

(again 

love i slowly 

gather 

of thy languorous mouth the 

thrilling 

flower) 

II. as is the sea marvelous 

as is the sea marvelous 

from god’s 

hands which sent her forth 

to sleep upon the world 

and the earth withers 

the moon crumbles 

one by one 

stars flutter into dust 

but the sea 

does not change 

and she goes forth out of hands and 

she returns into hands 

and is with sleep.... 

love, 

the breaking 

of your 

soul 

upon 

my lips 

III. somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond 

somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond 

any experience,your eyes have their silence: 

in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me, 

or which i cannot touch because they are too near 

your slightest look easily will unclose me 

though i have closed myself as fingers, 

ⓟ & © 2010 Naxos Rights International Ltd. Page 1 of 6



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you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens 

(touching skilfully,mysteriously)her first rose 

or if your wish be to close me,i and 

my life will shut very beautifully,suddenly, 

as when the heart of this flower imagines 

the snow carefully everywhere descending; 

nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals 

the power of your intense fragility:whose texture compels me with 

the colour of its countries, 

rendering death and forever with each breathing 

(i do not know what it is about you that closes 

and opens;only something in me understands 

the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses) 

nobody,not even the rain,has such small hands 

"there is a," "as is the sea marvelous," and "somewhere i have 

never travelled,gladly beyond" from COMPLETE POEMS: 1904- 

1962, by E. E. Cummings, Edited by George J. Firmage, are used 

with the permission of Liveright Publishing Corporation. Copyright 

1923, 1931, 1951, 1959, 1991 by the Trustees for the E. E. 

Cummings Trust. Copyright © 1976, 1979 by George James 

Firmage. 

Rilke Songs 

Texts: Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) 

No. 1 Die Gazelle 

Gazella Dorcas 

Verzauberte: wie kann der Einklang zweier enwählter 

Worte je den Reim erreichen, 

der in dir kommt and geht, wie auf ein Zeichen. 

Aus deiner Stirne steigen Laub and Leier, 

und alles Deine geht schon im Vergleich 

durch Liebeslieder, deren Worte, weich 

wie Rosenblätter, dem, der nicht mehr liest, 

sich auf die Augen legen, die er schließt: 

um dich zu sehen: hingetragen, als 

wäre mit Sprüngen jeder Lauf geladen 

and schösse nur nicht ab, solang der Hals 

das Haupt ins Horchen hält: wie wenn beim Baden 

im Wald die Badende sich unterbricht: 

den Waldsee im gewendeten Gesicht. 

No. 2 Der Panther 

Im Jardin des Plantes, Paris 

Sein Blick ist vom Vorübergehn der Stäbe 

so müd geworden, daß er nichts mehr hält. 

Ihm ist, als ob es tausend Stäbe gäbe 

and hinter tausend Stäben keine Welt. 

Der weiche Gang geschmeidig starker Schritte, 

der sich im allerkleinsten Kreise dreht, 

ist wie ein Tanz von Kraft um eine Mitte, 

in der betäubt ein großer Wille steht. 

Nur manchmal schiebt der Vorhang der Pupille 

sich lautlos auf–. Darn geht ein Bild hinein, 

The Gazelle 

Dorcas Gazelle 

Enchanted soul! How can the harmony of two chosen words 

Ever equal the perfect rhyme, 

Which comes and goes in you, like a given sign? 

From your brow, ivy-like the lyre spirals, 

And all your essence already in comparison moves 

Through love-songs, whose words are smooth 

Like rose petals placed upon the lids of the man 

Who no longer reads, keeps his eyes shut, so that he can 

See you, carried yonder 

As though each step were charged with rebounding thunder, 

But would not be fired while the neck 

Still holds the head in listening attention, just like the nude, 

Bathing in a forest lake, will interrupt and glance, 

The lake’s reflection on her averted countenance. 

The Panther 

In the Jardin des Plantes, Paris 

After endless paces back and forth, along the iron bars, 

Before his tired eyes, every image turns to mist. 

He feels that in his world, there only are a thousand bars, 

And beyond those thousand bars, no world exists. 

Translation © Copyright 2003 by 

Karin Grundler-Whitacre. 

Used by permission. 

Smooth, puissant, and confident steps compose his elegant pace, 

Which neverendlingly circles within the most limited lap, 

Moves within a confining center, like a powerful dance of grace, 

In which a tired, yet mighty will cannot take even one step. 

Only at times, the pupil’s veil 

Is raised without a sound—an image then can enter. 




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geht durch der Glieder angespannte Stille– 

und hört im Herzen auf zu sein. 

No. 3 Die Flamingos 

Jardin des Plantes, Paris 

In Spiegelbildern wie von Fragonard 

ist doch von ihrem Weiß und ihrer Röte 

nicht mehr gegeben, als dir einer böte, 

wenn er von seiner Freundin sagt: sie war 

noch sanft von Schlaf. Denn steigen sie ins Grüne 

and stehn, auf rosa Stielen leicht gedreht, 

beisammen, blühend, wie in einem Beet, 

verführen sie verführender als Phryne 

sich selber; bis sie ihres Auges Bleiche 

hinhalsend bergen in der eignen Weiche, 

in welcher Schwarz und Fruchtrot sich versteckt. 

Auf einmal kreischt ein Neid durch die Volière; 

sie aber haben sich erstaunt gestreckt 

and schreiten einzeln ins Imaginäre. 

No. 4 Der Schwan 

Diese Mühsal, durch noch Ungetanes 

schwer and wie gebunden hinzugehn, 

gleicht dem ungeschaffnen Gang des Schwanes. 

Und das Sterben, dieses Nichtmehrfassen 

jenes Grunds, auf dem wir täglich stehn, 

seinem ängstlichen Sich-Niederlassen–: 

in die Wasser, die ihn sanft empfangen 

und die sich, wie glücklich and vergangen, 

unter ihm zurückziehn, Flut um Flut; 

wahrend er unendlich still und sicher 

immer mündiger and königlicher 

and gelassener zu ziehn geruht. 

No. 5 Schwartze Katze 

Ein Gespenst ist noch wie eine Stelle, 

dran dein Blick mit einem Klange stößt; 

aber da, an diesem schwarzen Felle 

wird dein starkstes Schauen aufgelöst: 

wie ein Tobender, wenn er in vollster 

Raserei ins Schwarze stampft, 

jählings am benehmenden Gepolster 

einer Zelle aufhört and verdampft. 

Alle Blicke, die sie jemals trafen, 

scheint sie also an sich zu verhehlen, 

um darüber drohend and verdrossen 

zuzuschauern und damit zu schlafen. 

Silently fluttering through his tightened limbs’ strain, 

Until it meets its end, at the heart’s very center. 

The Flamingos 

Paris, Jardin des Plantes 

Like reflections done by Fragonard 

Not more is presented of their white and red 

Than if someone said about his love: 

She was still soft with slumber. 

Because, once into the green they delve 

And stand on rosy stems in slightly turned order 

Together blossoming like within a border 

They tempt (more alluringly than Phryne) themselves; 

Until they bury the paleness of their eyes 

With twisted necks in their soft, feathery guise 

Where black and fiery red are hidden. 

And suddenly a jealous cry shrieks through the aviary, 

But they only stretch in amazement, 

And calmly stride alone into the imaginary. 

The Swan 

The sorrow to have to move on 

Burdened heavily by things still undone 

Compares to the ungraceful steps of the swan. 

And dying, this no-longer-grasping 

Of the grounds to which we are daily clasping 

Is like his apprehensive settling down 

Into the waters, where he softly is welcome 

And the waters, happy and bygone, 

Withdraw beneath him wave after wave 

While he, infinitely confident and calm, 

Assuming more and more majesty 

Decides to move on in serenity. 

Black Cat 

A figment of imagination is like a place, still, 

Where looks bounce off with a sound 

But there, at this black fur, the strongest gaze will 

Be utterly dissolved, and nowhere be found. 

Just like when an irate man, in his utmost rage, 

Stomps into the dark, furiously in large strides, 

But is abruptly stopped by the restricting pads of his cage 

And suddenly feels his anger subside. 

Within, she seems to conceal and defer 

All the glances that ever fell upon her, 

In a peevish and menacing way 

Reflects upon them, and then dreams away. 













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Doch auf einmal kehrt sie, wie geweckt, 

ihr Gesicht and mitten in das deine: 

und da triffst du deinen Blick im geelen 

Amber ihrer runden Augensteine 

unenvartet wieder: eingeschlossen 

wie ein ausgestorbenes Insekt. 

No. 6 Das Einhorn 

Der Heilige hob das Haupt, and das Gebet 

fiel wie ein Helm zurück von seinem Haupte: 

denn lautlos nahte sich das niegeglaubte, 

das weiße Tier, das wie eine geraubte 

hülflose Hindin mit den Augen fleht. 

Der Beine elfenbeinernes Gestell 

bewegte sich in leichten Gleichgewichten, 

ein weißer Glanz glitt selig durch das Fell, 

and auf der Tierstirn, auf der stillen, lichten, 

stand, wie ein Turm im Mond, das Horn so hell, 

and jeder Schritt geschah, es aufzurichten. 

Das Maul mit seinem rosagrauen Flaum 

war leicht gerafft, so daß ein wenig Weiß 

(weißer als alles) von den Zähnen glänzte; 

die Nüstern nahmen auf and lechzten leis. 

Doch seine Blicke, die kein Ding begrenzte, 

warfen sich Bilder in den Raum 

und schlossen einen blauen Sagenkreis. 

Introit for The Season of Epiphany 

Text: The Book of Common Prayer 

O Lord open thou our lips and our mouth shall show forth thy praise. 

The Lord hath manifested forth His glory. 

O come let us adore Him. 

The earth is the Lord’s and He made it. 

O come let us adore. 

Arise, my Love 

Text: The Song of Songs (King James version) 

Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. 

For, lo, the winter is past, 

the rain is over and gone; 

The flowers appear on the earth; 

and the time of the singing birds is come. 

Set me as a seal upon your heart, 

as a seal upon your arm: 

for love is strong as death. 

Many waters cannot quench love, 

neither can the floods drown it. 

Come, thou fount of every blessing 

Text: Robert Robinson (1735-90) 

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, 

Tune my heart to sing Thy grace; 

Streams of mercy, never ceasing, 

Call for songs of loudest praise: 

Teach me some melodious sonnet, 

But suddenly, as if abruptly stirred from her sleep, 

Turns her face, and looks straight into your eye 

And there, you meet again your own stare 

In the glowing amber of her eye’s glare 

Trapped, like an extinct insect, 

From a time gone by. 

The Unicorn 




The saint raised his eyes and like a helmet from his head, 

A praying chant fell down, because without a sound 

The unbelievable white animal approached this very ground. 

The creature that like an abducted, helpless hind 

Silently pleads with her eyes. 

In delicate balances the ivory frame of 

Its gentle limbs moved 

A white gleam glowed holy on its coat so smooth 

And on the animal’s forehead still and light 

Stood like a tower in moonlight the horn so bright, 

And with every step it was proudly brought back into sight. 

The mouth with its fluff of pinkish-gray, 

Was slightly opened that a spec of white, 

(Whiter than anything) sparkled from its teeth, 

The nostrils sniffed and breathed away. 

But its glances, by nothing earthly impeded 

Cast images into the round 

And a blue saga-circle was completed. 







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Sung by flaming tongues above; 

Praise the mount! 

O fix me on it, 

Mount of God’s unchanging love. 

Here I find my greatest treasure; 

Hither by Thy help I’m come; 

And I hope, by thy good pleasure, 

Safely to arrive at home: 

Jesus sought me when a stranger, 

Wandering from the fold of God; 

He, to rescue me from danger, 

Interposed His precious blood. 

O to grace how great a debtor 

Daily I’m constrained to be! 

Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, 

Bind my wandering heart to Thee: 

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, 

Prone to leave the God I love; 

Here’s my heart, 

O take and seal it, 

Seal it, for thy courts above. 

Ave, dulcissima Maria 

Text: Latin, 12th century 

Ave, dulcissima Maria. 

Vera spes et vita! 

Dulce refrigerium. 

O Maria, flos Virginum. 

Missa Brevis 

Texts: Mass 

Kyrie 

Kyrie eleison. 

Christe eleison. 

Kyrie eleison. 

Gloria 

Gloria in excelsis Deo, 

et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. 

Laudamus te, benedicimus te, adoramus te, glorificamus te. 

Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam. 

Domine Deus, Rex cœlestis, 

Domine, pater omnipotens, 

Domine fili unigenite, Jesu Christe. 

Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris. 

qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. 

Qui tollis peccata mundi, 

Suscipe deprecationem (nostram). 

Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris. 

Quoniam tu solus sanctus, 

Quoniam tu solus Dominus, 

Tu solus altissimus (Jesu Christe). 

Cum sancto spiritu in gloria Dei Patris. 

Amen. 

Hail, sweetest Mary 

Hail, sweetest Mary. 

Fount of hope and life! 

Sweet refreshment. 

O Mary, Virgin flower. 

Kyrie 

Lord, have mercy. 

Christ, have mercy. 

Lord, have mercy. 

Gloria 

Translation by Stanley M. Hoffman 

© Copyright 2002 by 

E.C. Schirmer Music Company. 


Glory to God in the highest, 

And on earth, peace to all those of good will. 

We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee. 

We give thanks to thee according to thy great glory. 

Lord God, heavenly King, 

God, the Father almighty. 

Lord Jesus Christ the most high, the only begotten son. 

Lord God, Lamb of God, son of the Father. 

Thou who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. 

Thou who takest away the sins of the world, 

Receive our prayer. 

Thou who sittest at the right hand of God, have mercy upon us. 

Thou alone art the most holy, 

For thou alone art the Lord, 

Thou alone art the most high, Jesus Christ. 

With the holy spirit in the glory of God the Father. 

Amen. 




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Sanctus et Benedictus 

Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, 

Dominus (Deus) sabaoth. 

Pleni sunt cœli et terra gloria tua 

hosanna in excelsis. 

Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. 

Hosanna in excelsis. 

Agnus Dei 

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, 

miserere nobis. 

Dona nobis pacem. 

(Words in parentheses do not appear in this setting.) 

Aaronic Benediction 

Text: Numbers 6: 24-26 

The Lord bless you, and keep you; 

The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; 

The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and grant you peace. 

Amen. 

Behold the Tabernacle of God 

Text: Revelation 

Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, 

For the Spirit of God dwelleth within you: 

For the temple of God is holy, 

Which temple are ye: 

For the love of whom ye do this day 

celebrate the joys of the temple with a season of festivity. 

This is the house of God, 

This is the gate of heaven. 

Amen. 

Sarum Antiphon for the Dedication of a Church 

J. W., alt. 

Sanctus et Benedictus 

Holy, holy, holy, 

Lord God of Hosts. 

Heaven and earth are full of thy glory. 

Hosanna in the highest. 

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 

Hosanna in the highest. 

Agnus Dei 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, 

Have mercy on us. 

Grant us peace. 

Translation from Public Domain Sources

Lyrics - Naxos

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