Lotte Lehmann Foundation

Hinweg! Hinweg!

Hinweg! Hinweg!

From the second act of Wagner's Die Walküre, this is a live broadcast of the San Francisco Opera in 1936. The sound quality may not be great, but the singing is. Besides Lehmann, the cast included Flagstad and Melchior!

It's difficult to start in the middle of an opera of Wagner's Ring, but suffice it to say that at this moment the brother and sister have fallen in love and they have been running away; Sieglinde is fearful for Siegmund and wants him to abandon her. Note the crazed sound Lehmann brings to this moment of the opera (at the expense of beautiful singing). The following translation is more literal than literate.

Hinweg! hinweg! flieh die Entweihte! [Away! flee from the wanton] Unheilig umfängt dich ihr Arm, [Unholy she embraces you] Entehrt, geschändet, schwand dieser Leib; [Disgraced, polluted life ebbs from this body] flieh' die Leiche, [flee the corpse] lasse sie los; [let her go] der Wind mag sie Verwehn',[the wind wants to scatter her dust] die ehrlos dem Edlen sich gab! [the disreputable one who gave herself to the noble one!] Da er sie liebend umfing, [when in his loving embrace] Da seligste Lust sie fand. [the most holy joy she found] Da ganz sie minnte der Mann, [where completely she loved the man] Der ganz ihr Minne geweckt, [completely awakened love] Von der süssesten Wonne [from the sweetest joy] Heiligster Weihe, [holiest dedication] die ganz ihr Sinn und Seele durch drang [that completely penetrated her senses and soul] Grauen und Schauder [tembling and shuddering] ob grässlichster Schande [dreadful shame] musste mit Schreck die Schmähliche fass, [must with terror the shameful one capture] Die je dem Manne gehorcht, [who already to the bridegroom belonged] der ohne Minne sie hielt! [whom without love she obeyed!] Lass' die Verfluchte, [abandon the cursed one,] Lass' sie dich flieh'n! [let her flee from you!] Verworfen bin ih, der Würde bar; [depraved am I, of grace bereft;] die reisntem Manne muss ich entrinnen, [the purest man must I escape,] dir herrlichem darf ich nimmer gehören: [to the wonderful one, I may never belong] Schande bring ich dem Bruder, [shame I bring to the brother] Schmach dem freienden Freund! [disgrace to the wooing/rescuing friend!]

Back to Top

Previous Page

This site is supported by the Lotte Lehmann Foundation, a non-profit entity. You can support the Foundation and its goals. Contributions are tax deductible. Find out how.