Der vasermentsh / The Waterman
Sung by Sara Nomberg-Prztyk, recorded by Wolf Krakowski at Way’s Mills, Quebec, Canada 1986
Information on this song and Yiddish text contributed by Eliezer Niborski, Jerusalem:
“Der vasermentsh” is a Yiddish version of German composer Robert Schumann’s (1810 – 1856) composition. The original German text is entitled – “Der Wasserman” – written by the German poet Justinus Kerner (1786 – 1862.) The translation is probably the one Peysekh Kaplan (1870 – 1943) published in the weekly Hayntige tsayt, Bialystok, 1914. Click here for a link to a performance of the original German composition.
Klezmob – the contemporary klezmorim of Tübingen, the setting of Kerner’s original text
Commentary by Itzik Gottesman:
This creepy gothic Romantic-era song will perhaps follow the fate of Zalmen Scheour’s song “Margaritklekh” which is unsingable today because of its disturbing treatment of women at the hands of men. Demons and spirits in the water are part of international folklore, though usually it is a female demon, such as the Slavic Rusalka.
It is interesting that the Vilbig choir conductor in Vilna, Avrom Sliep, chose works with German/Austrian classical musical pedigree: last week “Farges dem tsar” with Strauss ll music and this week with Robert Schumann’s music.
What follows is a transcription of the Yiddish the way Sara Nomberg-Prztyk sings it and then the text in Yiddish submitted by Eliezer Niborski. The English translation by Wolf Krakowski is included on the video. Finally, we have included the original German poem by Kerner.
Der vasermentsh (transliteration):
Spoken introduction by Sara Nomberg-Prztyk: Der vasermentsh iz a lid fun repertoir fun Vilner, a Vilner khor, ver hot gehat hindert mitglider der khor. “Der vasermentsh” iz, glayb ikh, nisht kayn…ikh vays nisht fin vanen s’iz antshtanen di lid, vayl s’iz nisht keyn traditsye fun di yidishe geshikhte, fin di yidishe dertseylungen. Kh’ob dus ershte mul zikh getrofn mit deym Vasermentsh. Ober s’iz zeyer a sheyne lid un ikh vil zi du far aykh forshteln. Kho’ zi oykh nisht gehert nukh deym vi me zol zi zingen.
A mol in a zumertog sphetlekh bay nakht,
di zun geyt shoyn unter, natur shteyt fartrakht.
Farklaybn zikh meydlekh hinter der shtot,
un zingen un tantsn in eyn karahod.
Kumt plutsling a bokherl oysgeputst fayn,
di tentserkes zet er, klaybt eyne oyx glaykh,
geyt tsu un tut on ir a grininkn krants,
nemt ir georemt, un firt ir tsum tants.
– Bokher, zog, vos yogt fun dir a kelt?
– in tifn vaser iz a kalte velt.
– hey, bokher, zog, vos bistu azoy blas?
– In tifn vaser iz dokh kalt un nas.
Er tansts mit ir, un firt ir in a zayt.
– Hey, bokher, loz! es past dokh nisht far layt!
Er tantst mit ir tsum vaser tsu.
– Hey, bokher, zog, vuhin geystu?
Er nemt arum ir shlankn layb:
– Mayn kind, du bist dem vasermentshns vayb.
Er nemt un er tantst in vaser arayn.
– Hey, bokher, vos tustu? mayn mame mayn!
Er firt ir tsum palats fun reynem krishtol.
– Adye mayn velt, tsum letstn mol,
Adye, adye…
Der Wassermann (original German):
Es war in des Maien [mildem]1 Glanz,
Da hielten die [Jungfern]2 von Tübingen Tanz.
Sie tanzten und tanzten wohl allzumal
Um eine Linde im grünen Tal.
Ein fremder Jüngling, [in stolzem]3 Kleid,
Sich [wandte]4 [bald]5 zu der schönsten Maid;
Er [reicht ihr dar die Hände]6 zum Tanz,
[Er]7 setzt ihr auf’s Haar einen meergrünen Kranz.
“O Jüngling! warum ist so kalt dein Arm?”
“In Neckars Tiefen da ist’s nicht warm.”
“O Jüngling! warum ist so bleich deine Hand?”
“Ins Wasser dringt nicht der Sonne Brand!”
Er [tanzt]8 mit ihr von der Linde weit:
“Lass’, Jüngling! horch, die Mutter [mir]9 schreit!”
Er [tanzt]10 mit ihr den Neckar entlang:
“Lass’, Jüngling! weh! mir wird so bang!”
Er fasst sie fest um den schlanken Leib:
“Schön’ Maid, du bist des Wassermann’s Weib!”
Er [tanzt]10 mit ihr in die Wellen hinein:
“O Vater und du, o Mutter mein!”
Er führt sie in [seinen]11 krystallenen Saal:
“Ade, ihr Schwestern [allzumal]
The Waterman (translation of the German text):
Once in the mild brightness of May,
The young maidens of Tübingen had a dance.
They danced and danced all together
About a lime tree in the green valley.
A stranger, a lad in a proud garment,
Soon attached himself to the most beautiful maiden;
He stretched out his hands to lead her into the dance,
He placed a sea-green wreath upon her hair.
“Oh young man, why are your arms so cold?”
“In the depths of the Neckar (river) it is not warm.”
“Oh young man, why are your hands so pale?”
“The burning rays of the sun do not penetrate into the water.”
He dances away with her, far from the lime tree:
“Stop, young man! Listen, my mother is calling me!”
He dances away with her along the banks of the Neckar (River):
“Stop, young man! Woe, I am becoming so frightened!”
He seizes her tightly about her slender body:
“Lovely maiden, you are the waterman’s bride!”
He dances away with her right into the waves:
“Oh father, and you, oh mother mine!”
He leads her into his crystal hall:
“Adieu, to you, my sisters all!”
Avi Fuhrman at Circle Lodge (photo by Itzik Gottesman)
Yiddish Song of the Week 