German: Frau Musika / Krokodil

Subject: Ein lust'ger Musikante (Geibel)
From: keberoxu
Date: 20 May 19 - 06:26 PM

Another folk-song-styled lyric which is actually by a known author:
Emanuel Geibel (1815 - 1884)

VOM LUSTIGEN MUSIKANTEN

(Emanuel Geibel)

Ein lust'ger Musikante
Marschierte am Nil,
O tempora, o mores!
Da kroch aus dem Wasser
Ein großer Krokodil,
O tempora, o mores!
Der wollt' ihn gar verschlingen,
Wer weiß, wie das geschah!
Juchheirassa!
O tempo, tempo-ra!
Gelobet seist du jederzeit,
Frau Mu-si-ka!

Da nahm der Musikante
seine Fiedel ans Kinn
O tempora, o mores!
Und strich mit seinem Bogen
Im Takte d'rüber hin,
O tempora, o mores!
Trotz Orpheus, Strauß und Lanner,
Wer weiß, wie das geschah!
Juchheirassa!
O tempo, tempo-ra!
Gelobet seist du jederzeit,
Frau Mu-si-ka!

Und als er auf den Saiten
Den ersten Strich getan,
O tempora, o mores!
Da hub der Krokodilus
alsbald zu tanzen an,
O tempora, o mores!
Den allerschönsten Walzer,
Wer weiß, wie das geschah!
Juchheirassa!
O tempo, tempo-ra!
Gelobet seist du jederzeit,
Frau Mu-si-ka!

Und schneller, immer schneller
Nun dreht' er sich im Tanz,
O tempora, o mores!
Es lachten ihm die Äuglein,
Es puppert' ihm der Schwanz,
O tempora, o mores!
Als wär's 'ne Krinoline,
Wer weiß, wie das geschah!
Juchheirassa!
O tempo, tempo-ra!
Gelobet seist du jederzeit,
Frau Mu-si-ka!

Der Krokodilus tanzte
Im tiefen Sand herum,
O tempora, o mores!
Und tanzte sieben alte
Pyramiden um,
O tempora, o mores!
Denn die sind lange wacklich,
Wer weiß, wie das geschah!
Juchheirassa!
O tempo, tempo-ra!
Gelobet seist du jederzeit,
Frau Mu-si-ka!

Da kam mit Saus geflogen
Ein grausamer Stein,
O tempora, o mores!
Und schlug ihm ganz ergebenst
Den dicken Schädel ein,
O tempora, o mores!
Das krachte bis nach Memphis,
Wer weiß, wie das geschah!
Juchheirassa!
O tempo, tempo-ra!
Gelobet seist du jederzeit,
Frau Mu-si-ka!


Und als die Pyramiden
Das Teufelsvieh erschlagen,
O tempora, o mores!
Ins Wirthshaus ging der Spielmann
Und ließ sich's wohlbehagen,
O tempora, o mores!
Tokayerwein, Burgunderwein,
Wer weiß, wie das geschah!
Juchheirassa!
O tempo, tempo-ra!
Gelobet seist du jederzeit,
Frau Mu-si-ka!

Eine Musikantenkehle,
Die ist als wie ein Loch,
O tempora, o mores!
Und hat er noch nicht aufgehört,
So sitzt und trinkt er noch,
O tempora o mores!
Und wir, wir tun desgleichen,
Wer weiß, wie das geschah!
Juchheirassa!
O tempo, tempo-ra!
Gelobet seist du jederzeit,
Frau Mu-si-ka!


-- from Ausgewählte Gedichte von Emanuel Geibel, Stuttgart und Berlin: J. G. Cotta'sche Buchhandlung Nachfolger, 1904. Appears in Aus dem Nachlaß, pages 294 - 296.


This lyric appears in dozens of "Commersbücher" from the nineteenth century; it was first published in the mid-1840's.
One of the big questions is,
to which tune does one sing it?

At least three composers of the time set the lyric to music,
either for solo voice
or for an unaccompanied four-part men's chorus.

The songbooks which print only the words and not the music,
state that the words are often sung
to this or that Volkslied or popular tune.

As ever, translating this humorous lyric is open to one and all.

Subject: RE: German: Frau Musika / Krokodil
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 May 19 - 06:47 PM

Well, The Wonderful Crocodile is more of a Derby Ram, but I see similarities.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: German: Frau Musika / Krokodil
From: keberoxu
Date: 21 May 19 - 04:10 PM

This is one way to get a look at the
men's chorus arrangement.

"Lob der ed'len Musica"

Subject: RE: German: Frau Musika / Krokodil
From: keberoxu
Date: 08 Jun 19 - 12:24 PM

A number of English translations are in print,
aged anytime back one hundred to one hundred fifty years.
Some of them truncated, suggesting
that the English translators
only had access to a greatly shortened German original.


O TEMPORA! O MORES!

This song was composed by a Theologue.

A jolly young musician,
While walking by the Nile,
O tempora! O mores!
Saw rising from the water
A big black crocodile,
O tempora! O mores!
Who wished him for a breakfast,
And who knows what might be,
Juvallera,
O tempo, tempo-ra!
But for the power that all must praise,
O Har-mo-ny!

Then quickly slipping out his
Violin from its case,
O tempora! O mores
He drew his bow across it
With skill and with grace,
O tempora! O mores!
And when a merry tune
He betook himself to play,
The hungry monster went
To dancing like a fay.

And in the sand he danced,
Around and around,
O tempora! O mores!
Till seven huge pyramids
Rose right up from the ground,
O tempora! O mores!
Now but for that good fiddle,
And skill to play it well,
No pyramid or fiddler
Could the story tell.



No translator identified.
--

from The American College Songster: A Collection of Songs, Glees and Melodies, sung by American Students; containing also popular American, English, Irish and German songs, Negro melodies, etc.; compiled for the use of students and lovers of student Music generally, by S. C. Andrews, Ann Arbor, Michigan: Sheehan & Co., 1876, page 117.

Note:
the tune is a different one
than the one most often printed in German books.
The tune difference
accounts for the way that the words change at the chorus.

A different tune ... this does somewhat thicken the plot.

Subject: RE: German: Frau Musika / Krokodil
From: keberoxu
Date: 08 Jun 19 - 12:31 PM

And would you get a look at
this?!

Subject: RE: German: Frau Musika / Krokodil
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Jun 19 - 02:22 PM

Well, I've known the phrase O tempora, O mores! since I was in high school Latin, but never before have I heard it connected to crocodiles....

Subject: RE: German: Frau Musika / Krokodil
From: keberoxu
Date: 10 Jun 19 - 12:46 PM

This English translation will match more closely to
Geibel's original German.
The English has been fitted to
the same music, arranged for men's four-part chorus,
as used for the German text.


O TEMPORA! O MORES!

English translation attributed to "E. D. R."

There went a fiddler marching,
A-marching on the Nile,
O tempora! O mores!
There crept from out the water
A monstrous crocodile;
O tempora! O mores!
And as it fain would swallow him,
Such teeth you never saw!
Fa- la- la- la!
O tempo, tempo-ra!
To thee be praise
For endless days,
Dame Mu- si- ca.

Then up the fiddler took at once
His cunning bow with care,
O tempora! O mores!
And from his ancient fiddle drew
Such tones of music rare;
O tempora! O mores!
Allegro, dolce, presto,
Such tunes you never saw!
Fa- la- la- la!
O tempo, tempo-ra!
To thee be praise
For endless days,
Dame Mu- si- ca.

And when the fiddle sounded
Beneath his skillful hands,
O tempora! O mores!
The crocodile began to dance
Upon the desert sands.
O tempora! O mores!
Quadrilles, gavottes and waltzes,
Such steps you never saw!
Fa- la- la- la!
O tempo, tempo -ra!
To thee be praise
For endless days,
Dame Mu- si- ca.

And now this song is ended,
The moral's near to seek,
O tempora! O mores!
It is not well to spend your time
Alone in learning Greek.
O tempora! O mores!
But learn at once to fiddle,
Such sport you never saw!
Fa -la -la -la!
O tempo, tempo- ra!
To thee be praise
For endless days,
Dame Mu- si- ca.

   -- from The Laurel Song Book for Advanced Classes in Schools, Academies, Choral Societies, etc., ed. by W. L. Tomlins, Boston: C. C. Birchard & Co., 1921, page 65.

Subject: RE: German: Frau Musika / Krokodil
From: keberoxu
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 12:59 PM

As if the preceding were not enough ...

CROCODILUS ET FIDICEN

Theodorum Vulpinum, also known as Theodor Renaud

Deambulans ad Nilum
Fidelis fidicen --
O tempora, o mores!
In ripa crocodilum
Videt terribilem,
O tempora, o mores!
Qui vult eum vorare,
Crede miracula!
Io, ïo, ïa!
O tempo, tempo -ra!
Perpetuo
Laudanda sis,
O Mu -si -ca!

Viator violinam
Vetustam arripuit --
O tempora, o mores!
Et plecto suo chordas
Affabre tetigit,
O tempora, o mores!
Allegro, dolce, presto,
Crede miracula!
Io, ïo, ïa!
O tempo, tempo -ra!
Perpetuo
Laudanda sis,
O Mu -si -ca!

Et simulac per fides
Homuncio strepitat,
O tempora, o mores!
Saltare crocodilus
Scienter inchoat,
O tempora, o mores!
Ionum motus, gyros,
Crede miracula!
Io, ïo, ïa!
O tempo, tempo -ra!
Perpetuo
Laudanda sis,
O Mu -si -ca!

Saliebat in arena,
Rotari potuit,
O tempora, o mores!
Et septem pyramidas
Antiquas proruit,
O tempora, o mores!
Jam senio confectas,
Crede miracula!
Io, ïo, ïa!
O tempo, tempo -ra!
Perpetuo
Laudanda sis,
O Mu -si -ca!

Et monstro pyramidis
Prostrato fidicen --
O tempora, o mores!
Ingreditur tabernam:
"Arescit", inquit, "splen"!
O tempora, o mores!
Et vini bibit multum,
Crede miracula!
Io, ïo, ïa!
O tempo, tempo -ra!
Perpetuo
Laudanda sis,
O Mu -si -ca!

Fidicinum sunt gulae
Instar foraminum!
O tempora, o mores!
Quin adhuc potet ille,
Est nulli dubium!
O tempora, o mores!
Cum ipson nos potamus,
Crede miracula!
Io, ïo, ïa!
O tempo, tempo -ra!
Perpetuo
Laudanda sis,
O Mu -si -ca!

-- from Carmina faceta. Senatui populoque academico Germaniae et totius orbis terrarum dedicata per Theodorum Vulpinum,, Lipsiae: sumtibus Richardi Ecksteinii, 1880. Appears in Ex Germanis translata, pages 57 - 59.

Subject: RE: German: Frau Musika / Krokodil
From: keberoxu
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 01:24 PM

The following English rendition, dated 1998, is credited to
J. Mark Sugars, Ph.D. from UC-Irvine,
and appears at ... oh, dear ... what is ingeb dot org?
I guess I am the last person to know about that webpage.


A musician was walking along the Nile with viol and bow
When a crocodile burst out of the river below.

The beast showed his teeth, bristling in his jaw,
And moved to swallow him in his gaping maw.

The man put bow to viol, pale with fear,
Played swiftly, sweetly, as his courage did appear.

When the sprightly sounds reached the monster's ears
For joy he began to shed crocodile tears.

He danced in circles on the sand amidst
The shadows of palms and pyramids.

He slapped the pyramids with his hefty tail
Not heeding how the centuries had made them frail.

One of them collapsed under a mighty blow
And laid the old Nile crocodile low.

The monument wholly crushed the croc's
Body under thousands of limestone blocks.

The minstrel was so happy to have saved his own skin,
He took the straightest path to the nearest inn.

Though he had of his fearsome foe been rid,
He still shook as wildly as the pyramid did.

There he tossed down Tokay and Burgundy, and when he
Asked for more wine, they said there wasn't any.

Our hero had always had bouts of strong thirst,
But his recent adventure had made this the worst.

His story has moved us; in sympathy for his plight
We are resolved to keep drinking all through the night.